LIBRARY 

OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA. 


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A   ROYAL    RHETORICIAN 


4  Wherever  the  bright  sun  of  heaven  shall  shine, 
His  honour  and  the  greatness  of  his  name 
Shall  be,  and  make  new  nations  :  he  shall  flourish, 
And,  like  a  mountain  cedar,  reach  his  branches 
To  all  the  plains  about  him.' 

King  Henry  VIIL,  Act  v.  Sc.  5. 


A  ROYAL  RHETORICIAN: 

A  Treatise  on  Scottis  Poesie 

A  Counterblaste  to  Tobacco 

etc.  etc. 

BY  KING  JAMES  VI.  AND  I. 


Edited,  with  an  Introduction, 
BY   ROBERT  S.  RAIT, 

FELLOW  OF  NEW  COLLEGE,  OXFORD 


WESTMINSTER 

A.  CONSTABLE  AND  CO. 

1 900 


Edinburgh  :  T.  and  A.  CONSTABLE,  Printers  to  Her  Majesty 


CONTENTS 

PAGE 

INTRODUCTION         .......  ix 

ANE  SCHORT  TREATISE  ON  SCOTTIS  POESIE  .  .  I 

A  COUNTERBLASTS  TO  TOBACCO  2Q 

NOTES 55 

EXTRACTS  FROM  '  ESSAYES  OF  A  TRENTISE,  IN 

THE  DIVINE  ART  OF  POESIE  '  6 1 
EXTRACTS  FROM  'THE  PSALMS  OF  KING  DAVID 

TRANSLATED  BY  KING  JAMES5  •  •  •  79 

LIST  OF  KING  JAMES'S  CHIEF  WRITINGS  .  .  85 


221568 


INTRODUCTION 

'YOUR  Inheritance  consists  as  much  in  the 
workes  of  your  Father's  Royall  Vertues,  as  in 
the  wealth  of  his  mighty  Kingdomes.'  So  wrote 
the  courtier  Bishop  of  Winchester  in  his  *  Epistle 
Dedicatorie  to  the  Thrice  Illustrious  and  most 
Excellent  Prince,  Charles,  the  Onely  Sonne  of  Our 
Soveraigne  Lord  the  King' — an  epistle  prefixed 
to  the  Bishop's  edition  of  King  James's  Works, 
published  in  1616.  The  goodly  folio1  volume  of 
some  six  hundred  pages  may  have  seemed  to  the 
prelate  and  his  master  to  justify  the  compliment, 
or  the  sentence  may  have  served  for  taking  up 
the  wager  of  battle  against  those  who  held  that 
writing  became  not  the  majesty  of  a  king,  and  to 
whose  confutation  the  editor  devoted  a  *  Preface/ 
wherein  he  appealed  to  *  the  King  of  Kings,  God 


1  The  works  contained  in  the  folio  edition  had  been  fre- 
quently printed ;  some  of  them  under  various  titles.  (Cf.  The 
British  Museum  Catalogue. )  Several  speeches,  delivered  after 
the  publication  of  the  folio  of  1616,  were  separately  published. 
They  have  reference  to  incidents  in  the  political  history  of  the 
reign,  and  scarcely  come  within  our  province. 


x  INTRODUCTION 

Himselfe,  who,  as  he  doth  all  things  for  our  good ; 
so  doeth  he  many  things  for  our  Imitation.  It 
pleased  his  Divine  wisdome  to  bee  the  first  in  this 
Rancke,  that  we  read  of,  that  did  ever  write.  Hee 
wrote,  and  the  writing  was  the  writing,  saith 
Moses,  of  God.' 

We  have  fallen  heirs  to  this  portion  of  Prince 
Charles's  inheritance ;  but  it  can  scarcely  be  said 
that  any  generation,  later  than  King  James's 
own,  has  received  its  heritage  with  the  Bishop's 
triumphant  cry  :  *  God  hath  given  us  a  Solomon.' ' 
Yet  it  would  be  matter  of  regret  if  King  James,  as 
an  author,  were  to  pass  into  complete  oblivion. 
We  are,  of  course,  not  dealing  with  literature  in 
any  true  sense.  But,  in  the  King's  writings,  we 
have,  in  the  first  place,  the  work  of  one  of  the 
best  educated  men  of  his  time.  Brought  up  under 
the  care  of  the  greatest  living  humanist,  he  was, 
if  a  pedant,  none  the  less  a  scholar.  *  Thay  wald 
haif  me  learn  Latin  before  I  can  speik  Scots/  he 
had  scrawled  on  the  margin  of  his  copy-book  in 
his  strange,  dreary,  motherless  boyhood  in  Stirling 
Castle,  and  George  Buchanan  had  allowed  no 
whipping-boy  to  bear  vicarious  suffering  for  the 
shortcomings  of  the  Lord's  Anointed.  By  nature, 
too,  he  was  shrewd  and  capable,  seeing  clearly 
if  not  far.  His  mind  was  precisely  fitted  to 


INTRODUCTION  xi 

appreciate  the  intricacies  of  Formal  Logic,  and 
his  thought  naturally  ran  in  syllogisms.  He  re- 
velled in  the  hard,  logical,  and  crude  discussions 
on  Divinity,  which  could  bear  no  mystery,  and 
found  superstition  congenial  and  mysticism  im- 
possible. The  opinions  of  such  a  man  are  better 
fitted  than  writings  which  bear  even  faint  traces 
of  unusual  intellectual  force,  to  picture  for  us  the 
attitude  of  the  men  of  his  time.  The  political 
theses  which  the  King  impugns  and  supports, 
throw  an  interesting  sidelight  upon  English  history 
and  go  far  to  explain  the  tragedy  of  his  House. 
But,  above  all,  these  interminable  treatises  are 
interesting  as  bringing  into  relief  the  personality  of 
perhaps  the  oddest  figure  in  our  national  history. 
James  was  not  a  great  king;  in  some  respects 
he  was  a  fool.  But,  as  Henry  iv.  remarked  about 
him,  he  was  the  wisest  fool  in  Christendom.  The 
cautious  shrewdness  which  was  ever  waging  war 
against  the  pride  of  Kingship  and  the  arrogance 
of  intellectual  self-confidence ;  the  simpleness  and 
naivete  which  strove  in  vain  to  hide  themselves 
under  an  affectation  of  cunning  statecraft  and  an 
assertion  of  fierce  wrestlings  with  the  evil  spirits 
of  ignorance  and  heresy ;  the  quaint  humour,  now 
unconscious,  and  now  scoring  an  obvious  or  verbal 
point,  but  rarely  affording  salvation  from  the  worst 


xii  INTRODUCTION 

errors  that  lack  of  humour  can  bring ;  the  worldly- 
wisdom  which  only  at  times  rose  above  the  level 
of  garrulous  advice;  the  piety  which  honestly 
strove  to  be  unaffected,  and  which  succeeded  in 
clothing  the  royal  prejudices  in  language  of 
unctuous  and  suspicious  sanctity;  the  rashness 
of  a  mind  filled  with  but  one  idea  and  of  an 
ambition  which  sought  vainglory  in  good  and  evil 
alike,  mingled  with  a  keen  moral  sense  and  with 
that  cowardice  which  *  would  not  play  false  and 
yet  would  wrongly  win ' ;  the  humility,  genuine 
enough  in  its  way,  which  boasted  that  even  kings 
must  acknowledge  God — all  these  and  a  thousand 
other  incongruities  make  this  king  real  to  us  in 
his  own  pages. 

The  present  selection l  from  the  works  of 
King  James  comprises  his  treatise  on  Scottish 
Poesie^  and  his  more  widely -known  Counter- 
blaste  to  Tobacco.  The  former  was  written  as  a 
preface  to  a  volume  of  Essayes  of  a  Prentise  in 
the  Divine  Art  of  Poesie^  printed  at  Edinburgh 
in  1585,  when  the  royal  author  was  eighteen  years 
of  age.  These  Essay  es,  with  His  Majesty's  Poetical 
Exercises  at  Vacant  Houres  (published  in  1591), 


1  For  a  selection  on  a  somewhat  larger  scale,  see  Arber's 
English  Reprints,  James  VI.  of  Scotland  and  I.  of  England. 
Westminster :  A.  Constable  &  Co. 


INTRODUCTION  xiii 

some  sonnets,  and  *  The  Psalms  of  KING  DAVID 
translated  by  KING  JAMES,'  constitute  the 
whole  of  the  king's  production  of  verse.  They 
possess  little  interest  of  any  sort*  It  is  other- 
wise with  the  Schort  Treatise,  which,  if  it  proves 
the  king's  words  that  '  if  Nature  be  not  the  chief 
worker  in  this  art,  Rules  will  be  but  a  bond  to 
Nature,'  remains  valuable,  not  only  as  showing 
the  aesthetic  and  intellectual  fibre  of  the  writer, 
but  also  as  the  only  work  of  its  kind  in  existence. 
It  is  a  schoolboy's  essay,  and  it  represents  the 
fruit  of  George  Buchanan's  teaching.  James 
himself  thus  apologised  for  his  early  work :  *  I 
composed  these  things  in  my  verie  young  and 
tender  yeares :  wherein  Nature  (except  shee  were 
a  monster)  can  admit  of  no  perfection ' ;  and, 
fortunately  for  our  enjoyment  of  the  Treatise -,  he 
never  revised  it.  '  Being  of  riper  yeares,  my 
burden  is  so  great  and  continual!,  without  anie 
intermission,  that  when  my  ingyne  and  age  could, 
my  affaires  and  fasherie  would  not  permit  mee  to 
remark  the  wrong  orthography  committed  by  the 
copiars  of  my  unlegible  and  ragged  hand,  far  less 
to  amend  my  proper  errours.'  The  present  editor 
has  added  a  glossary  and  a  few  notes  to  the 
Treatise  and  to  the  Counterblaste.  The  latter  will 


1  The  reader  will  find  a  few  specimens  on  pp.  61-79. 


xiv  INTRODUCTION 

explain  itself.  It  was  published,  anonymously, 
shortly  after  King  James's  accession  to  the 
English  throne,  and  the  authorship  was  first 
openly  avowed  in  1616.  It  shows  King  James 
in  a  lighter  vein.  He  calls  it  '  but  a  toy,'  and 
'  the  fume  of  an  idle  braine ' ;  and  in  Bishop 
Montagu's  Latin  translation  of  his  works,  which 
appeared  in  1619,  it  is  described  as  *  Misocapnus, 
sive  De  Abusu  Tobacci  Lusus  Regius.'  But  it  is 
a  case  of  Pegasus  on  stilts,  and  the  humour  is, 
for  the  most  part,  unconscious,  although  the 
pamphlet  might  have  warranted  the  Bishop  in 
applying  to  the  royal  rhetorician  the  title  of 
'  Doctor  Subtilis.' 

Of  King  James's  remaining  writings,  the  most 
interesting  is  his  Basilikon  Doron>  or  book  of 
advice  to  his  eldest  son,  Henry,  afterwards  Prince 
of  Wales.  It  deals  with  a  king's  duty  towards 
God,  his  duty  in  his  office,  and  his  behaviour  in 
things  indifferent.  A  fierce  attack  upon  Presby- 
tery and  *  the  proud  Puritanes '  explains  why  it  was 
necessary,  in  1599,  to  limit  the  first  edition  to  a 
secret  issue  of  seven  copies.  *  Paritie  is  the 
mother  of  confusion,  and  enemie  to  Unitie, 
which  is  the  mother  of  order.  .  .  .  Take  heede 
therefore  (my  sonne)  to  such  Puritanes,  verie 
pestes  in  the  Church  and  Common-weale,  whom 


INTRODUCTION  xv 

no  deserts  can  oblige,  neither  oathes  nor  promises 
binde,  breathing  nothing  but  sedition  and  calum- 
nies, aspiring  without  measure,  railing  without 
reason,  and  making  their  owne  imaginations 
(without  any  warrant  of  the  word)  the  square  of 
their  conscience.'  The  English  succession  had 
removed  all  need  of  hiding  such  sentiments  from 
the  Church  of  Scotland,  but  the  sentence  throws 
a  light  upon  James's  religious  policy  in  England 
and  the  consequent  separation  of  the  Puritans 
from  the  Church.  James  never  failed  more  egregi- 
ously  to  understand  men's  minds  than  when  he 
confused  English  Puritanism  with  Scottish  Pres- 
bytery. We  find,  too,  an  anticipation  of  James's 
Irish  policy  in  his  advice  regarding  the  Scottish 
Highlands : — *  As  for  the  Hie-lands,  I  shortly 
comprehend  them  all  in  two  sorts  of  people :  the 
one,  that  dwelleth  in  our  maine  land,  that  are 
barbarous  for  the  most  sorte,  and  yet  mixed  with 
some  shewe  of  civilitie;  the  other  that  dwelleth 
in  the  lies,  and  are  all  uterly  barbares,  without 
any  sort  or  shew  of  civilitie.  For  the  first  sort, 
put  straitly  to  execution  the  Lawes  made  alreadie 
by  me  against  their  Over-lords,  and  the  chiefes  of 
their  Clannes,  and  it  will  be  no  difficultie  to 
danton  them.  As  for  the  other  sort,  follow  forth 
the  course  that  I  have  intended,  in  planting 


xvi  INTRODUCTION 

Colonies  among  them  of  answerable  In-land 
subjects,  that  within  short  time  may  reforme  and 
civilize  the  best  inclined  among  them;  rooting 
out  or  transporting  the  barbarous  and  stubborne 
sort,  and  planting  civilitie  in  their  roomes.'  The 
transference  of  King  James's  energies  to  England 
reserved  the  suppression  of  the  clan-system  for  the 
government  of  George  n.  And,  again,  we  are  re- 
minded of  the  Book  of  Sport s,  when  James  urges, 
as  a  means  of  preventing  people  from  speaking 
'  rashly  of  their  Prince,'  the  appointment  of  '  cer- 
taine  dayes  in  the  yeere,  for  delighting  the  people 
with  publicke  spectacles  of  all  honest  games,  and 
exercise  of  armes;  as  also  for  conveening  of 
neighbours,  for  entertaining  friendship  and  heartli- 
nesse,  by  honest  feasting  and  merrinesse :  For  I 
cannot  see  what  greater  superstition  can  be  in 
making  playes  and  lawfull  games  in  Maie,  and 
good  cheere  at  Christmas,  than  in  eating  fish  in 
Lent,  and  upon  Fridayes,  the  Papists  as  well  using 
the  one  as  the  other.' 1 

The  king's  personal  advice  is  not  less  interest- 


1  The  Scottish  Parliament  had,  after  the  Reformation,  made 
stringent  rules  for  maintaining  the  old  customs  regarding  the 
eating  of  fish  in  Lent.  These  Acts  were  passed  in  the  interests 
of  the  fishing  trade,  which,  as  in  England,  had,  since  the 
fifteenth  century,  contributed  largely  to  the  prosperity  of  the 
towns  on  the  East  Coast, 


INTRODUCTION  xvii 

ing  than  his  political  maxims.  Prince  Henry 
should  'not  marry  for  money,  but  marry  where 
money  is.'  For  'beautie  increaseth  your  love  to 
your  wife,  and  riches  and  great  alliance  doe 
both  make  her  the  abler  to  be  a  helper  unto  you.' 
In  things  indifferent,  he  was  to  be  wise  and 
discreet : — 

'  In  the  forme  of  your  meate-eating,  bee  neither 
uncivill  like  a  grosse  cynicke,  nor  affectatlie  mig- 
narde,  like  a  daintie  dame ;  but  eate  in  a  manlie, 
round,  and  honest  fashion.  ...  Be  also  moderate  in 
your  raiment,  neither  over  superfluous,  like  a  deboshed 
waster,  nor  yet  over  base,  like  a  miserable  wretch 
.  .  .  but  in  your  garments  be  proper,  cleanely, 
comely  and  honest,  wearing  your  clothes  in  a  care- 
less yet  comely  forme.1  .  .  .  Especially  eschew  to 
be  effeminate  in  your  cloathes,  in  perfuming,  preen- 
ing [pinning]  and  such  like,  and  make  not  a  foole  of 
yourselfe  in  disguising  or  wearing  long  haire  or  nailes. 
...  In  your  language  be  plaine,  honest,  naturall, 
comely,  cleane,  eschewing  both  the  extremities,  as 
well  in  not  using  any  rusticall  corrupt  leide  [lan- 
guage], as  booke  language,  and  pen  and  inke-horne 
termes,  and  least  of  all  mignard  and  effeminate 
termes  .  .  .  not  taunting  in  Theologie,  nor  alleadging 
and  prophaning  the  Scripture  in  drinking  purposes^ 
[conversations],  as  over  many  doe.^<  •  If  "yee 
would  write  worthily,  choose  subjects  worthie  of  you, 
that  bee  not  full  of  vanitie,  but  of  vertue,  eschewing 


1  Cf.  Sir  Walter  Scott's  description  of  James's  person  in 
Tht  Fortunes  of  Nigel,  chap.  v. 

b 


xviii  INTRODUCTION 

obscuritie,  and  delighting  -ever  to  be  plaine  and 
sensible.  And  if  yee  write  in  Verse,  remember  that 
it  is  not  the  principall  part  of  a  Poeme  to  rime  right, 
and  flow  well  with  many  pretie  wordes :  but  the  chief 
commendation  of  a  Poeme  is,  that  when  the  verse 
shall  be  shaken  sundrie  in  prose,  it  shall  bee  found 
so  rich  in  quicke  inventions,  and  poetick  flowers, 
and  in  faire  and  pertinent  comparisons,  as  it  shall 
retaine  the  lustre  of  a  Poeme,  although  in  Prose. 
And  I  would  also  advise  you  to  write  in  your  owne 
language  :  for  there  is  nothing  left  to  be  saide  in 
Greeke  and  Latine  alreadie,  and  ynew  [enough]  of 
poore  schollers  would  match  you  in  these  languages  ; 
and  beside  that,  it  best  becommeth  a  king  to  purifie 
and  make  famous  his  owne  tongue  ;  wherein  he  may 
goe  before  all  his  subjects,  as  it  setteth  him  well  to 
doe  in  all  honest  and  lawfull  things.  And  amongst 
all  unnecessarie  things  that  are  lawfull  and  expedient, 
I  think  exercises  of  the  bodie  most  commendable  to 
be  used  by  a  young  Prince,  in  such  honest  games  or 
pastimes,  as  may  further  abilitie  and  maintaine  health 
.  .  .  but  from  this  count  I  debarre  all  rough  and 
violent  exercises,  as  the  foote-ball,  meeter  for  laming 
then  making  able  the  users  thereof.  .  .  .  But  the 
exercises  that  I  would  have  you  to  use  are  running, 
leaping,  wrastling,  fencing,  dancing,  and  playing  at 
the  caitch  or  tennise,  archerie,  palle  maille,  and  such 
like  other  faire  and  pleasant  field-games.  And  the 
honourablest  and  most  commendable  games  that  yee 
can  use,  are  on  horseback,  for  it  becommeth  a  Prince 
best  of  any  man,  to  be  a  faire  and  good  horseman. 
...  I  cannot  omit  heere  the  hunting,  namely  with 
running  hounds,  which  is  the  most  honourable  and 
noblest  sorte  thereof :  for  it  is  a  theevish  forme  of 
hunting  to  shoote  with  gunnes  and  bowes,  and  grey- 


I  NT  R  O  D  U  C  T I  O  N  xix 

hound  hunting  is  not  so  martiall  a  game.  .  .  .  When 
ye  are  wearie  of  reading,  or  evill  disposed  in  your 
person,  and  when  it  is  foule  and  stormie  weather ; 
then,  I  say,  may  ye  lawfully  play  at  the  cardes  or 
tables.  For  as  to  dicing,  I  thinke  it  becommeth  best 
deboshed  souldiers  to  play  at,  on  the  head  of  their 
drums,  being  onely  ruled  by  hazard,  and  subject  to 
knavish  cogging.  And  as  for  the  chesse,  I  think  it 
over  fond,  because  it  is  over-wise  and  Philosophicke 
a  toy.  For  where  all  such  light  playes  are  ordained 
to  free  men's  heades  for  a  time,  from  the  fashious 
thoughts  on  their  affaires  ;  it  by  the  contrarie  filleth 
and  troubleth  men's  heades,  with  as  many  fashious 
toyes  of  the  play,  as  before  it  was  filled  with  thoughts 
on  his  affairs.' 

So  he  rambles  garrulously  on,  playing  with 
keen  zest  the  part  of  Polonius  (which  his  future 
subject  must  about  the  same  time  have  been 
creating).  It  is  all  wise  and  shrewd,  and  the 
language  redeems  the  commonplace  of  the  thought. 
He  refers  now  and  again  to  the  circumstances  of 
his  youth  and  the  troubles  of  his  mother's  reign, 
describing  his  uncle,  the  Regent  Murray,  as  *  that 
bastard,  who  unnaturally  rebelled,  and  procured 
the  ruine  of  his  owne  Soverane  and  sister/  and 
urging  the  destruction  of  'such  infamous  invec- 
tives as  Buchanan's  or  Knoxes  Chronicles.'  In 
command  of  Scriptural  quotation  the  king  cannot 
have  been  surpassed  by  any  of  the  hated  Presby- 
terians who  *  claiming  to  their  Paritie,  and  crying, 


xx  INTRODUCTION 

"  Wee  are  all  but  vile  wormes,"  yet  will  judge  and 
give  Law  to  their  king,  but  will  be  judged  nor 
controlled  by  none/  It  is  with  them  in  mind  that 
he  advises  the  prince  to  study  well  the  Psalms 
of  David  'for  teaching  you  the  forme  of  your 
prayers.  ...  So  much  the  fitter  are  they  for  you 
then  for  the  common  sort,  in  respect  the  composer 
thereof  was  a  king :  and  therefore  best  behoved 
to  know  a  king's  wants,  and  what  things  were 
meetest  to  be  required  by  a  king  at  God's  hand 
for  remedie  thereof.'  The  sentence  seems  to 
resound  with  the  echoes  of  ecclesiastical  contro- 
versies, and  it  reveals  the  storehouse  from  which 
King  James  borrowed  his  armour  when  he  went 
forth  to  face  Andrew  Melville  himself. 

Next  in  interest  to  the  Basilikon  Doron  is  a 
treatise  on  Daemonologie^  in  Forme  of  a  Dialogue, 
which  also  saw  the  light  in  1599.  James  is  well 
known  as  a  persecutor  of  witches,  and  here  we 
have  his  Apologia.  It  was  written  *  not  in  any 
wise  to  serve  for  a  shew  of  my  learning  and 
ingine,'  but  as  a  protest  '  against  the  damnable 
opinions  of  two  principally  in  our  age,  whereof  the 
one  called  Scot,1  an  Englishman,  is  not  ashamed 


1  Reginald  Scot  (i538?-i599)  was  the  author  of  The  Dis- 
coverie  of  Witchcraft  (1584),  in  which  he  advanced  views  far 
beyond  his  age  with  regard  to  witchcraft  and  sorcery.  He  had 


INTRODUCTION  xxi 

in  publike  Print  to  deny,  that  there  can  be  such 
a  thing  as  witchcraft :  and  so  maintaines  the  old 
errour  of  the  Sadduces  in  denying  of  spirits ;  the 
other  called  Wierus,  a  German  Physitian,  sets  out 
a  publike  Apologie  for  all  these  craftsfolkes, 
whereby,  procuring  for  their  impunitie,  he  plainely 
bewrayes  himselfe  to  have  bene  one  of  that  pro- 
fession.' The  interlocutors  are  Philomathes,  the 
willing  disciple,  and  Epistemon,  the  wise  in- 
structor. Epistemon  begins  by  proving  (largely 
by  means  of  the  Witch  of  Endor)  the  possibility 
of  magic,  and  then  proceeds  to  divide  it  into 
Necromancie  and  Sorcerie  or  Witchcraft. 

PHI.  What  difference  is  there  between  Necro- 
mancie and  Witchcraft  ? 

EPI.  Surely,  the  difference  vulgare  put  betwix 
them  is  very  merry,  and  in  a  manner  true  ;  for  they 
say,  that  the  Witches  are  servants  onely,  and  slaves 
to  the  divel ;  but  the  Necromanciers  are  his  masters 
and  commanders. 

PHI.  How  can  that  be  true,  that  any  men  being 
specially  addicted  to  his  service  can  be  his  com- 
manders ? 

EPI.  Yea,  they  may  be  :  but  it  is  onely  secundum 
quid;  for  it  is  not  by  any  power  that  they  can  have 
over  him,  but  ex  pacto  allanerlie  ;  whereby  he  obliges 


adopted,  in  part,  the  enlightened  opinions  of  John  Wier  (1515- 
1588),  who  published,  in  1566,  a  work  entitled  De  Pracstiqiis 
Demonum.  Cf.  Mr.  Sidney  Lee's  article  on  Scot  in  the 
Dictionary  of  National  Biography. 


xxii  INTRODUCTION 

himselfe  in  some  trifles  to  them,  that  he  may  on  the 
other  part  obteine  the  fruition  of  their  body  and 
soule,  which  is  the  onely  thing  he  huntes  for. 

After  a  discussion  of  the  use  of  charms,  we 
come  to  the  'difference  between  God's  miracles 
and  the  DiveFs '  :— 

'God  is  a  creatour,  what  he  makes  appeare  in 
myracle,  it  is  so  in  effect.  As  Moyses  Rod  being 
casten  downe,  was  no  doubt  turned  into  a  naturall 
serpent ;  whereas  the  divel  (as  God's  ape)  counter- 
setting  that  by  his  magicians,  made  their  wandes  to 
appeare  so,  onely  to  men's  outward  senses :  as  kythed 
[was  shown]  in  effect  by  their  being  devoured  by  the 
other  ;  for  it  is  no  wonder  that  the  divel  may  delude 
our  senses,  since  we  see  by  common  proofe,  that 
simple  jugglars  will  make  an  hundredth  things  seeme 
both  to  our  eyes  and  eares  otherwayes  then  they 
are.'  Passing  now  to  witchcraft,  Epistemon  declines 
to  believe  that  witches  can  travel  to  their  diabolical 
conferences  in  the  shape  of  a  little  beast  or  fowl,  but 
thinks  it  credible  that  they  can  be  '  caried  by  the 
force  of  the  spirit  which  is  their  conducter,  either 
above  the  earth,  or  above  the  Sea  swiftly,  to  the  place 
where  they  are  to  meete  :  which  I  am  persuaded  to 
be  possible  in  respect  that  as  Habakkuk  was  carried 
by  the  Angel 1  in  that  forme,  to  the  den  where  Daniel 
lay  ;  so  thinke  I,  the  divell  will  be  readie  to  imitate 
God  as  well  in  that  as  in  other  things  :  which  is 
much  more  possible  to  him  to  doe,  being  a  Spirit, 
then  to  a  mighty  wind,  being  but  a  naturall  meteore.' 


1  Bel  and  the  Dragon. 


INTRODUCTION  xxiii 

The  idea  of  witchcraft  naturally  suggests  a  ques- 
tion which  gives  King  James  an  opportunity  for 
one  of  his  mpst  characteristic  sentences : — 

I*/******* 

PHi/AVhat  can  be  the  cause  that  there  are  twentieX 
womenjn.ven  tp  that  craft,  where  there  is  one  man  ?      \ 

EPl/Trne  reason  is  easie,  for  as  that  sexe  is  frailer 
then  man  is,  so  is  it  easier  to  be  intrapped  in  these     I 
grosse  snares  of  the  divell,  as  was  overwell  prooved    / 
to  be  trew  by  the  serpent's  deceiving  of  Eva  at  the   / 
beginning,  which  makes  him  the  homelier  with  that  / 
sex  sensine.  / 

The  discussion  on  witchcraft  ends  with  a 
reminiscence  of  'the  Logicks' : — 

EPI.  Doubtlesse  who  denieth  the  power  of  the 
Divell  would  likewise  denie  the  power  of  God,  if  they 
could  for  shame.  For  since  the  Divel  is  the  very 
contrarie  opposite  to  God,  there  can  bee  no  better 
way  to  know  God,  then  by  the  contrarie  ;  as  by  the 
one's  power  (though  a  creature)  to  admire  the  power 
of  the  great  Creatour  :  by  the  falshood  of  the  one  to 
consider  the  trewth  of  the  other  :  by  the  injustice  of 
the  one  to  consider  the  justice  of  the  other  :  and  by 
the  cruelty  of  the  one,  to  consider  the  mercifulnesse 
of  the  other,  and  so  foorth  in  all  the  rest  of  the 
essence  of  God,  and  qualities  of  the  Divell.  But  I 
feare  indeed,  there  bee  over  many  Sadduces  in  this 
world,  that  denie  all  kinds  of  Spirits  :  for  convicting 
of  whose  errour,  there  is  cause  enough  if  there  were 
no  more,  that  God  should  permit  at  sometimes 
Spirits  visibly  to  kyith. 

The  third  book  deals  with  Ghosts,  which  are 


xxiv  INTRODUCTION 

explained  as  being  evil  spirits  which  'have  assumed 
a  dead  bodie,  whereinto  they  lodge  themselves/ 
The  bodies  of  the  righteous  may  be  used  for  this 
purpose  for  *  the  rest  of  them  that  the  Scripture 
speakes  of,  is  not  meaned  by  a  locall  remaining 
continually  in  one  place,  but  by  their  resting  from 
their  travailes,'  and  '  there  is  nothing  in  the  bodies 
of  the  faithfull,  more  worthie  of  honour,  or  freer 
from  corruption  by  nature,  nor  in  these  of  the 
unfaithfull,  while  time  they  be  purged  and  glori- 
fied in  the  latter  Day>  as  is  daily  scene  by  the 
wilde  diseases  and  corruptions,  that  the  bodies 
of  the  faithfull  are  subject  unto.'  The  story  of 
the  wer-wolf  he  rejects  in  a  characteristically 
matter-of-fact  way  :  *  If  any  such  thing  hath  beene, 
I  take  it  to  have  proceeded  but  of  a  naturall 
super -abundance  of  melancholy,  which  as  we 
reade,  that  it  hath  made  some  thinke  themselves 
pitchers,  and  some  horses,  and  some  one  kinde 
of  beast  or  other,  so  suppose  I  that  it  hath  so 
viciat  the  imagination  and  memory  of  some,  as 
per  lucida  intervalla^  it  hath  so  highly  occupied 
them,  that  they  have  thought  themselves  very 
woolfes  indeed  at  these  times  .  .  .  but  as  to  their 
having  and  hiding  of  their  hard  and  schelly  fluiches, 
I  take  that  to  be  but  eiked  [added],  by  uncertaine 
report,  the  author  of  all  lies.'  The  Brownies,  on 


INTRODUCTION  xxv 

the  contrary,  are  genuine,  being  evil  spirits  sent 
to  haunt  houses  *  without  doing  any  evill,  but 
doing  as  it  were  necessarie  turnes  up  and  downe 
the  house/  the  more  readily  to  deceive  ignorant 
Christians  in  times  of  Papistrie  and  blindness, 
and  make  them  account  God's  enemy  their  own 
particular  friend.  The  *  Phairie/  again,  are  merely 
illusions,  'objected'  by  the  devil  to  men's  fantasie 
and  not  possessing  any  real  existence,  apart  from 
the  common  herd  of  evil  spirits.  And  so  we  reach 
the  conclusion  of  the  whole  matter — the  duty  of 
suppressing,  at  any  cost,  the  sin  of  witchcraft. 
Epistemon  will  not  admit  that  there  is  any  real 
difficulty  in  detecting  guilt.  If  witchcraft  cannot 
be  absolutely  proved  in  all  cases,  yet  the  accused 
are  always  sure  to  be  '  of  a  very  evill  life  and 
reputation/  and  so  no  real  injustice  is  done. 
c  And  besides  that,  there  are  two  other  good  helps 
that  may  be  used  for  their  triall :  The  one  is,  the 
finding  of  their  marke,  and  the  trying  the  insen- 
siblenes  thereof:  the  other  is  their  fleeting  on 
the  water  ...  for  it  appears  that  God  hath  ap- 
pointed .  .  .  that  the  water  shall  refuse  to  receive 
them  in  her  bosome  that  have  shaken  off  them 
the  sacred  water  of  baptisme,  and  wilfully  refused 
the  benefite  thereof:  No,  not  so  much  as  their 
eyes  are  able  to  shed  teares  (threaten  and  torture 


xxvi  INTRODUCTION 

them  as  ye  please)  while  [till]  first  they  repent .  .  . 
albeit  the  womenkind  especially  be  able  other- 
wayes  to  shed  teares  at  every  light  occasion  when 
they  will,  yea  although  it  were  dissemblingly  like 
the  crocodiles.'  We  are  thus  brought  from 
comedy  to  tragedy,  for  the  darkest  stain  on  the 
wonderful  history  of  seventeenth-century  Scotland 
is  the  record  of  the  cruel  tortures  and  executions 
of  many  innocent  old  women  whom  an  unfor- 
tunate combination  of  circumstances  or  the  malice 
of  personal  enemies  had  accused  of  witchcraft. 

King  James's  purely  theological  work l  consists 
of  A  Paraphrase  upon  the  Revelation  of  S.  John, 
dedicated  to  '  the  whole  Church  Militant,'  A 
Meditation  upon  i  Chron.  xv.  25-29,  and  a  De- 
claration against  the  Dutch  heretic,  Vorstius,2 
which  bears  the  extraordinary  inscription  : — *  To 


1  Subsequently  to  the  folio  edition,  King  James  published 
two  purely  theological  writings,  A  Meditation  upon  the  Lords 
Prayer  (1619),  and  A  Meditation  upon  St.  Matthew  xxvii. 
27-29  (1620).     After  his  death,  there  appeared  Cygnea  Cantio 
or  Learned  Decisions,  and  most  Prudent  and  Pious  Directions 
for  Students  in  Divinitie,  delivered  by  our  late  Soveraigne  of 
Happie  Memorie,  King  James,  at  Whitehall,  a  few  weekes 
before  his  death  (1629).     It  was  edited  by  Daniel  Featly,  the 
well-known  controversialist,  chaplain  to  Archbishop  Abbot, 
and  is  a  report  of  a  '  scholastick  duel '  between  the  king  and 
Featly. 

2  Conrad  Vorstius  (1569-1622)  succeeded  Arminius  in  his 
Chair  in  the  University  of  Leyden  in  1610. 


INTRODUCTION  xxvii 

the  Honour  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ 
...  in  signe  of  Thankfulnes,  His  Most  Humble 
and  Most  Obliged  Servant,  James,  by  the  Grace 
of  God,  King  of  Great  Britaine,  France,  and 
Irelande,  Defender  of  the  Faith,  Doeth  Dedicate 
and  Consecrate  this  his  Declaration.'  The  Para- 
phrase was  written  before  the  king  was  twenty 
years  of  age,  and  the  Meditation  a  little  later,  and 
they  are  just  what  might  be  expected  from  a 
clever  boy  who  had  received  James's  training  and 
possessed  his  self-confidence.  The  Declaration 
is  addressed  to  the  States-General  of  the  United 
Provinces,  and  its  aim  was  to  persuade  them  to 
deprive  Vorstius,  a  follower  of  Arminius,  of  his 
office  in  the  University  of  Leyden,  and,  if  possible, 
to  bring  him  to  the  stake.  His  main  offence  con- 
sisted in  his  Tractates  Theologicus  de  Deo>  and 
his  Exegesis  Apologetica,  in  which  he  had  argued 
that  *  nothing  forbids  us  to  say  that  God  hath  a 
Body,  so  as  we  take  a  Body  in  the  largest  signifi- 
cation/ and  had  expressed  similar  and  consequent 
tenets.  James  described  him  as  c  a  wretched 
Heretique  or  rather  Athiest/  and  used  his  whole 
diplomatic  power  to  secure  his  ruin.  He  pro- 
fessed his  readiness  to  have  controverted  Arminius 
in  person ;  but  *  it  was  our  hard  hap  not  to  heare 
of  this  Arminius  before  he  was  dead,7  and  he  had 


xxviii  INTRODUCTION 

to  content  himself  with  warnings  regarding  the 
dangers  of  heresy  in  general,  and  the  pernicious 
effect  of  the  teaching  of  Vorstius  in  particular. 
The  books  in  question  were  solemnly  burned  in 
London,  Oxford,  and  Cambridge;  and  James,  who 
was  invited  to  act  as  umpire  between  Vorstius  and 
his  opponents  in  Leyden,  succeeded  in  obtaining 
his  expulsion  from  Leyden,  and  afterwards  his 
banishment  from  the  States.  The  Declaration 
shows  considerable  debating  power,  and  a  know- 
ledge of  orthodox  Theology,  and  it  proves  that 
the  Calvinistic  teaching  in  which  James  was 
educated  had  not  lost  its  hold  upon  his  mind. 

Two  further  treatises  deal  with  the  relation  of 
Church  to  State,  and  they  may  be  next  described. 
A  Defence  of  the  Right  of  Kings  against  an 
oration  of  the  Most  Illustrious  Cardinal  of  Perron^ 
arose  out  of  a  speech  made  by  the  Cardinal  in  the 
Chamber  of  the  Third  Estate  in  France,  at  the 
meeting  of  the  States-General  in  1614  (the  last 
instance  of  their  being  convened  till  the  Assembly 
of  1789).  The  assassination  of  Henry  in.  in  1589, 
when  under  a  Papal  sentence  of  excommunication, 

1  Jacques  Davy  du  Perron,  Cardinal  (successively  Bishop  of 
Evreux,  and  Archbishop  of  Sens).  The  Cardinal's  oration 
was  translated  into  English  in  1616.  He  wrote  a  reply  to 
King  James's  Defence^  but  it  did  not  appear  in  English  till 
1630,  when  it  was  translated  by  the  Viscountess  Falkland. 


INTRODUCTION  xxix 

and  the  murder  of  Henry  iv.  in  1610  (of  which 
the  Jesuits  were,  probably  unjustly,  suspected  to 
have  been  the  instigators),  had  drawn  attention  to 
the  ever-recurring  question  of  the  relation  of  a 
monarch  to  the  Papacy.  A  motion  was  under 
discussion  which  was  intended,  as  King  James 
puts  it,  to  disavow  the  sentiment  that  'the  Pope 
may  tosse  the  French  King  his  Throne  like  a 
tennis  ball/  and  the  Cardinal's  speech,  which 
turned  the  current  of  opinion  in  a  Papal  direction, 
was  printed  with  the  Pope's  recommendation,  and 
a  copy  was  sent  to  King  James  'by  the  Author 
and  Orator  himselfe ;  who  presupposed  the  read- 
ing thereof  would  forsooth  drive  me  to  say,  "  Lord 
Cardinall,  in  this  high  subject  your  Honour  hath 
satisfied  me  to  the  full." '  The  main  portion  of 
the  argument  is  occupied  with  a  discussion  of 
historical  instances  adduced  by  the  Cardinal  to 
show  the  powers  which  had  been  exercised  by 
Popes  over  Kings  in  the  past,  and  James  disputes 
the  ground  inch  by  inch.  As  regards  wider  con- 
siderations, he  observes  that,  while  the  Cardinal 
had  asserted  the  Pope's  power  of  deposing  a  king 
only  in  cases  of  Apostasy,  Heresy,  and  persecution 
of  the  Church,  these  powers  had,  in  fact,  been 
claimed  on  a  very  much  wider  scale,  and  '  Heresy ' 
may  include  anything  whatsoever.  'Among  the 


xxx  INTRODUCTION 

crimes  which  the  Councel  of  Constance  charged 
Pope  John  xxn.  withall,  one  was  this,  that  hee 
denied  the  immortalitie  of  the  soule.  .  .  Now  if 
the  Pope  shall  be  caried  by  the  streame  of  these 
or  the  like  errours,  and  in  his  Hereticall  pravitie 
shall  depose  a  king  of  the  contrary  opinion,  I 
shall  hardly  bee  persuaded,  the  said  king  is  law- 
fully deposed.'  He  points  out  also  the  evil  effects 
likely  to  follow  from  the  authorisation  of  such 
teaching  by  the  Roman  Church,  and  makes  a 
profession  of  tolerance,  which  was  probably 
justified  as  far  as  Roman  Catholicism  was  con- 
cerned : — 

1  As  for  myselfe,  and  my  Popish  Subjects,  to  whom 
I  am  no  lesse  then  an  heretike  forsooth  ;  am  I  not 
by  this  doctrine  of  the  Cardinall,  pricked  and  whetted 
against  my  naturall  inclination,  to  turne  clemencie 
into  rigour ;  seeing  that  by  his  doctrine  my  subjects 
are  made  to  believe,  they  owe  me  subjection  onely 
by  way  of  proviso^  and  with  waiting  the  occasion  to 
worke  my  utter  destruction  and  finall  ruine.  .  .  . 
Who  seeth  not  here  how  great  indignitie  is  offered 
to  me  a  Christian  King,  paralleld  with  Infidels, 
reputed  worse  then  a  Turke,  taken  for  an  usurper 
of  my  kingdomes,  reckoned  a  Prince,  to  whom 
subjects  owe  a  forced  obedience  by  way  of  provision, 
untill  they  shall  have  meanes  to  shake  off  the  yoke, 
and  to  bare  my  temples  of  the  Crowne,  which  never 
can  be  pulled  from  the  sacred  Head,  but  with  losse 
of  the  head  itselfe  ?  .  .  .  The  plotters  and  practisers 


INTRODUCTION  xxxi 

against  my  life  are  honoured  and  rewarded  with  a 
glorious  name  of  Martyrs  :  their  constancie  (what 
els  ?)  is  admired,  when  they  suffer  death  for  treason. 
Wheras  hitherto  during  the  time  of  my  whole 
raigne  to  this  day  (I  speake  it  in  the  word  of  a 
king,  and  trewth  itselfe  shall  make  good  the  king's 
worde)  no  man  hath  lost  his  life,  no  man  hath  indured 
the  Racke,  no  man  hath  suffered  corporall  punish- 
ment in  other  kinds,  meerely  or  simply,  or  in  any 
degree  of  respect,  for  his  conscience  in  matter  of 
religion ;  but  for  wicked  conspiring  against  my  life, 
or  estate,  or  Royall  Dignitie  ;  or  els  for  some  notori- 
ous crime,  or  some  obstinate  and  wilfull  disobedience.' 

James  was  acute  enough  to  see  the  weakness 
of  the  Cardinal's  admission  that  'the  Church 
abhorreth  sudden  and  unprepensed  murders  [of 
kings]  above  the  rest  .  .  .  because  in  sudden 
murders  oftentimes  the  soule  and  the  body  perish 
both  together/  and  he  compares  it  to  the  well- 
known  quibble  of  the  Jesuit  Mariana : — 

*  For  Mariana  liketh  not  at  any  hand  the  poison- 
ing of  a  Tyrant  by  his  meat  or  drinke  :  for  feare  lest 
he  taking  the  poison  with  his  owne  hand,  and  swallow- 
ing or  gulping  it  downe  in  his  meate  or  drinke  so 
taken,  should  be  found  felo  de  se  (as  the  common 
Lawyer  speaketh),  or  culpable  of  his  owne  death. 
But  Mariana  likes  better,  to  have  a  Tyrant  poysoned 
by  his  chaire,  or  by  his  apparell  and  robes  .  .  .  that 
being  so  poysoned  onely  by  sent,  or  by  contact,  he 
may  not  be  found  guiltie  of  selfe-fellonie,  and  the 
soule  of  the  poore  Tyrant  in  her  flight  out  of  the 


xxxii  INTRODUCTION 

body  may  be  innocent.  O  hel-houndes,  O  diabolical 
wretches,  O  infernall  monsters!  Did  they  onely 
suspect  and  imagine,  that  either  in  kings  there  is 
any  remainder  of  kingly  courage,  or  in  their  subjects 
any  sparke  left  of  ancient  libertie  ;  they  durst  as  soone 
eat  their  nailes,  or  teare  their  owne  flesh  from  the 
bones,  as  once  broach  the  vessell  of  this  diabolical! 
device.  How  long  then,  how  long  shall  kings  whom 
the  Lord  hath  called  his  Anointed,  kings  the  breath- 
ing images  of  God  upon  earth  ;  kings  that  with  a 
wry  or  frowning  looke,  are  able  to  crush  these  earth- 
wormes  in  pieces  ;  how  long  shall  they  suffer  this 
viperous  brood,  scot-free  and  without  punishment,  to 
spit  in  their  faces  ?  how  long  the  Majestic  of  God  in 
their  person  and  Royall  Majestic,  to  be  so  notoriously 
vilified,  so  dishonourably  trampled  under  foot  ? ' 

Apart  from  its  rhetoric,  the  Defence  shows 
James  at  his  best  as  a  controversialist,  It  was 
a  subject  on  which  he  felt  strongly  and  with 
regard  to  which  he  had  a  good  case;  and  he 
knew  his  position  to  be  so  strong  that  he  could 
speak  of  his  adversary  with  courtesy  and  respect, 
except  when  he  was  carried  away  by  his  own 
denunciations.  It  was  a  subject,  too,  which 
afforded  an  opportunity  for  a  display  of  his  very 
considerable  learning,  and  he  was  not  insensible 
of  the  importance,  for  this  purpose,  of  marginal 
references,  if  judiciously  employed. 

The  other  politico-theological  treatise  is  An 
Apologie  for  the  Oath  of  Allegiance^  imposed 


INTRODUCTION  xxxiii 

upon  Roman  Catholics  after  the  Gunpowder 
Plot.  Pope  Paul  v.  had  issued  two  Briefs  for- 
bidding English  Romanists  to  take  the  oath,  and 
Cardinal  Bellarmin,  the  ex-Jesuit,  had  enforced  the 
Papal  briefs  in  a  strongly  worded  letter.  James 
now  published,  under  a  veil  of  anonymity,  a 
remarkably  temperate  defence  of  the  position  of 
the  Government,  pointing  out  that  the  oath  did 
not  involve  any  acknowledgment  of  the  Royal 
Headship  of  the  Church,  and  was  a  promise  of 
political  obedience.  Two  answers  made  to  this 
Apologie  led  to  the  king's  publishing  a  second 
edition,  in  his  own  name,  with  a  vigorous  pre- 
amble, entitled,  'A  Premonition  to  all  Most 
Mightie  Monarchs,  Kings,  Free  Princes,  and 
States  of  Christendom/  One  of  these  answers 
was  in  English,  and  was  the  work  of  an  English 
Roman  Catholic  resident  abroad,1  Him  James 
dismissed  in  a  few  words,  considering  'a  rope  the 
fittest  answer '  for  him  : — 

1  As  for  the  English  Answerer,  my  unnaturall  and 
fugitive  Subject ;  I  will  neither  defile  my  pen,  nor 
your  sacred  eyes  or  eares  with  the  describing  of 
him,  who  ashames,  nay,  abhorres  not  to  raile,  nay, 
to  rage  and  spew  foorth  blasphemies  against  the  late 
Queene  of  famous  memory.  A  subject  to  raile 
against  his  naturall  Soveraigne  by  birth  ;  a  man  to 

1  Parsons  the  Jesuit. 


xxxiv  INTRODUCTION 

raile  against  a  Lady  by  sexe  ;  a  holy  man  (in  outward 
profession)  to  insult  upon  the  dead ;  nay,  to  take 
Radamanthus  office  over  his  head,  and  to  sit  downe 
and  play  the  judge  in  hell.' 

The  other  antagonist  had  written  in  Latin,  and 
his  name  led  the  king  into  a  play  upon  words — 
'  Hee  calleth  himselfe  Mattheus  Tortus,  Cardinall 
Bellarmins  Chaplaine.  A  throwne l  Evangelist 
indeed,  full  of  thro  ward  Divinitie.'  Tortus 
brought  three  main  accusations  against  James, 
that  he  was  an  Apostate,  having  been  baptized 
into  the  Roman  Faith;  that  he  had  been  a 
Puritan  in  Scotland,  and  now  persecuted  the 
Puritans;  and  that  he  was  a  Heretic.  Against 
each  of  these  James  defended  himself  in  his 
characteristic  manner,  making  incidentally  a 
number  of  interesting  statements,  and  concluding 
with  an  assertion  of  the  Anglo-Catholic  position 
which  is  strangely  reminiscent  of  modern  contro- 
versies : — 

4 1  am  no  Apostate  .  .  .  not  onely  having  ever 
bene  brought  up  in  that  Religion  which  I  presently 
professe,  but  even  my  Father  and  Grandfather  on 
that  side  professing  the  same.  .  .  .  And  as  for  the 
Queene  my  Mother  of  worthy  memorie ;  although 
she  continued  in  that  Religion  wherein  she  was 


1  Being  a  proper  word  to  expresse  the  trew  meaning  of  Tortus 
[original  note]. 


INTRODUCTION  xxxv 

nourished,  yet  was  she  so  farre  from  being  supersti- 
tious or  Jesuited  therein,  that  at  my  Baptisme  (al- 
though I  was  baptized  by  a  Popish  Archbishop)  she 
sent  him  word  to  forbeare  to  use  the  spettle  in  my 
Baptisme  ;  which  was  obeyed,  being  indeed  a  filthy 
and  an  apish  tricke,  rather  in  scorne  then  in  imita- 
tion of  Christ.  ...  As  also  the  Font  wherein  I  was 
Christened,  was  sent  from  the  late  Queene  here  of 
famous  memory,  who  was  my  Godmother  ;  and  what 
her  Religion  was,  Pius  v.  was  not  ignorant.  And 
for  further  proofe,  that  that  renowned  Queene  my 
Mother  was  not  superstitious  ;  as  in  all  her  Letters 
(whereof  I  received  many)  she  never  made  mention 
of  Religion,  nor  laboured  to  persuade  me  in  it ;  so  at 
her  last  words,  she  commanded  her  Master-houshold, 
a  Scottish  Gentleman,  my  servant  and  yet  alive,  she 
commanded  him  (I  say)  to  tell  me  ;  that  although  she 
was  of  another  Religion  then  that  wherein  I  was 
brought  up  ;  yet  she  would  not  presse  me  to  change, 
except  myowne  Conscience  forced  mee  to  do  it.  ... 
Neither  can  my  Baptisme  in  the  rites  of  their  Religion 
make  me  an  Apostate,  or  Heretike  in  respect  of  my 
present  profession,  since  we  all  agree  in  the  substance 
thereof,  being  all  Baptized  In  the  Name  of  the  Father, 
the  Sonne,  and  the  holy  Ghost:  upon  which  head 
there  is  no  variance  amongst  us.  ...  I  cannot 
enough  wonder  with  what  brasen  face  this  Answerer 
could  say  that  I  was  a  Puritane  in  Scotland,  and 
an  enemie  to  Protestants :  I  that  was  persecuted  by 
Puritanes  there,  not  from  my  birth  onely,  but  even 
since  foure  moneths  before  my  birth?1  I  that  in  the 
yeere  of  God  84  erected  Bishops,  and  depressed  all 


A  reference  to  the  circumstances  of  the  murder  of  Rizzio. 


xxxvi  INTRODUCTION 

their  popular  Paritie,  I  being  then  not  18  yeeres 
of  aage  ?  I  that  in  my  Booke  to  my  Sonne  doe  speake 
tenne  times  more  bitterly  of  them  nor  of  the  Papists  ; 
having  in  my  second  Edition  thereof,  affixed  a 
long  Apologetike  Preface,  onely  in  odium  Puritan- 

orum  ? . 

And  now  for  the  point  of  Heretike,  I  will  never  bee 
ashamed  to  render  an  accompt  of  my  profession,  and 
of  that  hope  that  is  in  me,  as  the  Apostle  pre- 
scribeth.  I  amsuchaCATHOLIKE  CHRISTIAN, 
as  beleeveth  the  three  Creeds  .  .  .  and  I  beleeve 
them  in  that  sense,  as  the  ancient  Fathers  and 
Councels  that  made  them  did  understand  them. 
...  I  reverence  and  admit  the  foure  first  gene- 
rall  Councels  as  Catholique  and  Orthodoxe.  .  .  . 
As  for  the  Fathers,  I  reverence  them  as  much 
and  more  then  the  Jesuites  doe.  ...  As  for  the 
Scriptures,  no  man  doubteth  I  will  beleeve  them. 
...  As  for  the  Saints  departed,  I  honour  their 
memory,  and  in  honour  of  them  doe  we  in  our 
Church  observe  the  dayes  of  so  many  of  them,  as 
the  Scripture  doeth  canonize  for  Saints.  .  .  .  For  the 
blessed  Virgin  Marie,  I  yeeld  her  that  which  the 
Angel  Gabriel  pronounced  of  her  .  .  .  that  all  gene- 
rations shall  call  her  blessed.  .  .  .  And  I  freely  con- 
fesse  that  shee  is  in  glory  both  above  angels  and 
men,  her  owne  Sonne  (that  is  both  God  and  man) 
onely  excepted.  But  I  dare  not  mocke  her  and 
blaspheme  against  God,  calling  her  not  onely  Diva 
but  Dea,  and  praying  her  to  command  and  controule 
her  Sonne,  who  is  her  God  and  her  Saviour  :  Nor  yet 
not  I  thinke,  that  shee  hath  no  other  thing  to  doe 
in  heaven  than  to  heare  every  idle  man's  suite,  and 
busie  herselfe  in  their  errands  ;  whiles  requesting, 
whiles  commanding  her  Sonne,  whiles  comming 


INTRODUCTION  xxxvii 

downe  to  kisse  and  make  love  with  Priestes,  and 
whiles  disputing  and  brawling  with  Devils.  .  .  .  That 
Bishops  ought  to  be  in  the  Church.  I  ever  main- 
tained it,  as  an  Apostolique  institution.  ...  If  the 
Romish  Church  hath  coined  new  Articles  of  Faith, 
never  heard  of  the  first  sooyeeres  after  Christ,  I  hope 
I  shall  never  bee  condemned  for  an  Heretike,  for 
not  being  a  Novelist.  .  .  .  Since  I  beleeve  as  much 
as  the  Scriptures  doe  warrant,  the  Creeds  doe  per- 
swade,  and  the  ancient  Councels  decreed ;  I  may 
well  be  a  Schismatike  from  Rome,  but  I  am  sure  I 
am  no  Heretike.  .  .  .  And  I  will  sincerely  promise, 
that  whenever  any  point  of  the  Religion  I  professe, 
shalbe  proved  to  be  new,  and  not  Ancient,  Catholike, 
and  Apostolike  (I  meane  for  matter  of  Faith)  I  will 
as  soone  renounce  it.' 

But  the  Anglican  Catholic,  before  he  concludes, 
appears  as  a  sixteenth-century  Protestant,  and 
devotes  many  pages,  and  much  wealth  of  Scrip- 
tural and  historical  allusion,  to  proving  that  the 
Pope  is  Antichrist.1  From  this  we  pass  naturally 
to  an  Appendix  consisting  of  *  A  Catalogue  of  the 
Lyes  of  Tortus,  together  with  a  Briefe  Confutation 
of  them/  and  there  we  leave  this  part  of  our 
subject. 


1  The  Gunpowder  Plot  and  the  Perron  controversy  had 
driven  James  to  this  extreme  attitude.  At  the  time  of  his 
arrival  in  England  he  held  quite  different  language:— 'I 
acknowledge  the  Romane  Church  to  be  our  Mother  Church, 
although  denied  with  some  infirmities  and  corruptions.'— Speech 
in  Parliament,  March  1603. 


xxxviii  INTRODUCTION 

It  remains  to  mention  King  James's  more 
purely  political  writings.  These  have  reference, 
mainly,  to  three  topics — the  proposed  Union  of 
the  Kingdoms,  the  Gunpowder  Plot,  and  the 
general  relations  between  king  and  subject.  In 
his  first  speech  to  his  English  Parliament,  on  igth 
March  1603-4,  the  king  brought  forward  his 
proposal  for  a  complete  union  of  the  two  king- 
doms. The  words  in  which  he  commended  it  to 
his  ne^people  are  very  characteristic  : — 

'x"x'What  God  hath  conjoyned,  let  no  man  separate. 
I  am  the  Husband  and  all  the  whole  Isle  is  my  lawfull 
wife  ;  I  am  the  Head,  and  it  is  my  Body ;  I  am  the 
Shepherd,  and  it  is  my  flocke ;  I  hope  therefore  no 
man  will  be  so  unreasonable  as  to  thinke  that  I  that 
am  a  Christian  King  under  the  Gospel,  should  be  a 
Polygamist  and  husband  to  two  wives ;  that  I  being 
the  Head,  should  have  a  divided  and  monstrous 
Body  ;  or  that  being  the  Shepheard  to  so  faire  a 
Flocke  (whose  fold  hath  no  wall  to  hedge  it  but  the 
foure  seas)  should  have  my  Flocke  parted  in  two. 
.  .  .  And  as  God  hath  made  Scotland  the  one  halfe 
of  this  Isle  to  enjoy  my  Birth,  and  the  first  and  most 
unperfect  halfe  of  my  life,  and  you  heere  to  enjoy  the 
perfect  and  the  last  halfe  thereof :  so  can  I  not  thinke 
that  any  would  be  so  injurious  to  me  ...  as  to 
asunder  the  one  halfe  of  me  from  the  other.' 

The  incorporating  Union  proposed  by  King 
James  was  more  thorough  than  that  which  after- 
wards was  carried  in  1707.  It  involved  the 


INTRODUCTION  xxxix 

abolition  of  Scots  Law,  and  the  Scottish  Church 
would  have  become  part  of  the  Church  of  England. 
The  Parliament  did  not  welcome  the  proposal, 
and,  in  1607-8,  James  had  again  to  devote  his 
oratorical  power  to  persuade  his  English  subjects 
to  consent : — 

'You  here  have  all  the  great  advantage  by  the 
Union.  Is  not  here  the  personall  residence  of  the 
King,  his  whole  Court  and  family?  Is  not  here  the 
seate  of  Justice,  and  the  fountaine  of  Government  ? 
must  they  [the  Scots]  not  be  subjected  to  the  Lawes 
of  England,  and  so  with  time  become  but  as  Cumber- 
land and  Northumberland,  and  those  other  remote 
and  Northern  Shires?  you  are  to  be  the  husband, 
they  the  wife  :  you  conquerours,  they  as  conquered, 
though  not  by  the  sword,  but  by  the  sweet  and  sure 
bond  of  love.  .  .  .  Some  thinke  that  I  will  draw  the 
Scottish  nation  hither,  talking  idlely  of  transporting 
of  trees  out  of  a  barren  ground  into  a  better  .  .  .  doe 
you  not  thinke  I  know  England  hath  more  people, 
Scotland  more  wast  ground  ?  so  that  there  is  roumth 
in  Scotland  rather  to  plant  your  idle  people  that 
swarme  in  London  streets,  and  other  Townes,  and 
disburden  you  of  them?  .  .  .  The  Kings  my  suc- 
cessours,  being  borne  and  bred  heere,  can  never  have 
more  occasion  of  acquaintance  with  the  Scottish 
nation  in  generall,  then  any  other  English  King  that 
was  before  my  time.  .  .  .  Since  my  comming  from 
them  I  doe  not  alreadie  know  the  one  halfe  of  them 
by  face,  most  of  the  youth  being  now  risen  up  to  bee 
men,  who  were  but  children  when  I  was  there,  and 
more  are  borne  since  my  comming  thence/ 


xl  INTRODUCTION 

James  failed  to  convince  the  English  Parlia- 
ment. The  question  became  connected  with 
the  difficult  constitutional  problems  of  the  time, 
and  the  project  was  definitely  abandoned.  Like 
James's  foreign  policy,  the  scheme  possessed  a 
distinct  note  of  statesmanship,  but  it  resembled 
it  also  in  its  impracticability.  It  was  premature, 
and  could  not  but  have  ended  in  disaster:  the 
ecclesiastical  conditions  alone  would  have  been 
sufficient  to  work  its  ruin. 

In  connection  with  the  Gunpowder  Plot,  the 
king  published  A  Discourse  of  the  maner  of  the 
Discoverie  of  the  Powder  Treason^  joyned  with 
the  examination  of  some  of  the  prisoners^  and  he 
also  devoted  to  the  subject  his  speech  to  Parlia- 
ment after  the  discovery.  In  neither  does  he 
add  anything  that  is  not  otherwise  known ;  but 
his  personal  allusions  are,  as  usual,  interesting, 
and  he  gives  us  incidentally  such  a  piece  of 
information  as  the  fact  that  Salisbury  was  accus- 
tomed to  end  an  audience  with  the  king  'with 
some  merry  jeast.'  In  his  Speech  to  Parliament, 
James  laid  great  stress  on  the  'two  great  and 
fearefull  Domesdayes,  wherwith  God  threatned 
to  destroy  mee.'  The  first  was  the  mysterious 
Ruthven  Raid :  the  second,  the  Gunpowder 
Plot :— 


INTRODUCTION  xli 

*  By  three  different  sorts  in  generall  may  mankinde 
be  put  to  death.  The  first,  by  other  men  and  reason- 
able creatures,  which  is  least  cruell  .  .  .  and  the 
second  way  more  cruell  then  that,  is  by  Animal  and 
unreasonable  creatures,  for  as  they  have  less  pitie 
then  men,  so  is  it  a  greater  horror  and  more  un- 
naturall  for  men  to  deale  with  them.  .  .  .  But  the 
third,  which  is  most  cruell  and  unmercifull  of  all,  is 
the  destruction  by  insensible  and  inanimate  things, 
and  amongst  them  all,  the  most  cruell  are  the  two 
elements  of  Water  and  Fire  :  and  of  those  two, 
the  fire  most  raging  and  mercilesse.  .  .  .  The  dis- 
covery hereof  is  not  a  little  wonderfull,  which  would 
bee  thought  the  more  miraculous  by  you  all,  if  you 
were  as  well  acquainted  with  my  naturall  disposition, 
as  those  are  who  be  neere  about  me  :  For  as  I  ever 
did  hold  suspition  to  be  the  sicknes  of  a  Tyrant,  so 
was  I  so  farre  upon  the  other  extremity,  as  I  rather 
contemned  all  advertisements,  or  apprehensions  of 
practises.  And  yet  now  at  this  time  was  I  so  farre 
contrary  to  myselfe,  as  when  the  Letter  was  shewed 
to  me  by  my  Secretary,  wherein  a  generall  obscure 
advertisement  was  given  of  some  dangerous  blow  at 
this  time,  I  did  upon  the  instant  interpret  and  appre- 
hend some  darke  phrases  therein,  contrary  to  the 
ordinary  Grammar  construction  of  them,1  (and  in 


1  The  words  (which  occurred  in  a  letter  to  Lord  Mounteagle, 
warning  him  not  to  go  to  the  meeting  of  Parliament)  were : — 
1  For  though  there  be  no  appearance  of  any  stirre,  yet  I  say, 
they  shall  receive  a  terrible  Blow  this  Parliament,  and  yet 
they  shall  not  see  who  hurts  them.  This  counsell  is  not  to 
be  contemned,  because  it  may  doe  you  good,  and  can  doe  you 
no  harme  ;  for  the  danger  is  past  so  soone  as  you  have  burnt 
the  Letter.'  The  last  clause  was  construed  by  the  king  to 


xlii  INTRODUCTION 

another  sort  then  I  am  sure  any  Divine,  or  Lawyer 
in  any  Universitie,  would  have  taken  them)  to  be 
meant  by  this  horrible  forme  of  blowing  us  up  all  by 
Powder.' 

Finally,  we  have  King  James's  political  philo- 
sophy stated  in  a  discussion  of  The  Trew  Law  of 
Free  Monarchies,  written  before  he  left  Scotland, 
and  in  three  speeches  to  his  English  Parlia- 
ment. His  view  was  that  which  is  known  as 
the  Divine  Right  of  Kings.  '  Kings  are  justly 
called  Gods/  for 

*  God  gives  not  kings  the  style  of  Gods  in  vaine.' 

The  king  is  the  father  of  his  people,  and  they  may 
in  no  case  oppose  his  will.  If  he  is  a  bad  king, 
he  'is  sent  by  God  for  a  curse  to  his  people,  and 
a  plague  for  their  sinnes  :  but  that  it  is  lawfull  for 
them  to  shake  off  that  curse  at  their  owne  hand, 
which  God  hath  laid  on  them,  that  I  deny,  and 
may  do  so  justly/  To  God  alone  is  any  king 
responsible.  The  king  is  above  the  law.  '  A 
good  king  will  frame  all  his  actions  to  be  according 
to  the  Law,  yet  is  hee  not  bound  thereto  but  of 


indicate  '  the  suddaintie  and  quickenesse  of  the  danger,  which 
should  be  as  quickly  performed  and  at  an  end  as  that  paper 
should  be  of  bleasing  up  in  the  fire;  turning  that  word  of 
as  soone  to  the  sense  of  as  quickly,'  and  this  suggested  gun- 
powder.— Discourse  of  the  Powder  Treason. 


INTRODUCTION  xliii 

his  good  will,  and  for  good  example-giving  to  his 
subjects.'  This  theory  he  grounded  upon  the  law 
of  nature  which  makes  the  king  stand  to  the 
people  as  the  father  to  the  children  or  the  head  to 
the  members ;  upon  the  statements  of  chroniclers 
regarding  early  history ;  upon  deductions  from  the 
laws  (e.g.  the  law  of  treasure-trove) ;  and  upon  the 
teachings  of  Scripture.  In  his  Trew  Law,  he 
makes  a  clever  use  of  Samuel's  description  of  the 
office  of  a  king,  when  the  Israelites  demanded  a 
king  to  rule  over  them,  and  the  old  prophet 
.attempted  to  dissuade  them,  by  drawing  a  picture 
of  the  powers  of  an  absolute  monarch.  This 
speech  of  Samuel  being  part  of  Holy  Scripture, 
4  it  must  necessarily  follow  that  these  speeches 
proceeded  not  from  any  ambition  in  Samuel,  as 
one  loath  to  quite  the  reines  that  he  so  long 
had  ruled,  and  therefore  desirous,  by  making 
odious  the  government  of  a  king,  to  disswade 
the  people  from  their  farther  importunate  craving 
of  one.  For,  as  the  text  proveth  it  plainly,  he 
then  conveened  them  to  give  them  a  resolute 
grant  of  their  demand,  as  God  by  his  owne 
mouth  commanded  him,  saying,  "Hearken  to  the 
voice  of  the  people"  And  to  presse  to  disswade 


1  i  Samuel  viii.  11-18. 


xliv  INTRODUCTION 

them  from  that,  which  he  then  came  to  grant 
unto  them,  were  a  thing  very  impertinent  in  a 
wise  man ;  much  more  in  the  Prophet  of  the  most 
high  God/ 

In  his  speeches  to  his  English  Parliaments, 
James  stated  his  position  with  regard  to  the 
rights  and  privileges  of  Parliament.  '  It  is  no 
place  for  particular  men  to  utter  their  private 
conceipts,  nor  for  satisfaction  of  their  curiosities, 
and  least  of  all  to  make  shew  of  their  eloquence 
by  tyning  [losing]  the  time  with  long  studied  and 
eloquent  Orations :  No,  the  reverence  of  God, 
their  King,  and  their  Countrey  being  well  setled 
in  their  hearts,  will  make  them  ashamed  of  such 
toyes.  .  .  .  Men  should  bee  ashamed  to  make 
shew  of  the  quicknesse  of  their  wits  here,  either 
in  taunting,  scoffing,  or  detracting  the  Prince  or 
State  in  any  point,  or  yet  in  breaking  jests  upon 
their  fellowes.'  The  duty  of  a  Parliament  is  to 
'  give  advice  in  such  things  as  shall  by  the  king 
be  proposed/  to  propose  anything  that,  after 
mature  judgment  it  shall  consider  to  be  needfull, 
to  supply  the  king  with  money,  and  to  inform 
him  of  grievances.  But,  under  the  pretext  of 
grievances,  Parliament  must  not  presume  to 
*  meddle  with  the  maine  points  of  Government,' 
or  with  ancient  ^Rights  received  by  the  king  from 


INTRODUCTION  xlv 

his  predecessors,  or  to  attempt  to  disturb  *  any 
thing  that  is  established  by  a  setled  Law,'  which 
they  know  the  king  is  unwilling  to  alter.  Both 
in  his  speeches  to  Parliament  and  in  '  A  Speach 
in  the  Starre  Chamber/  James  stated  his  belief  in 
the  doctrine  that  the  king  is  the  fountain  of  law. 
And  he  warned  the  judges  of  the  Star  Chamber  not 
to  decide  anything  affecting  the  royal  prerogative 
or  mysteries  of  State,  without  first  consulting  the 
king.  *  The  absolute  Prerogative  of  the  Crowne 
is  no  subject  for  the  tongue  of  a  Lawyer,  nor  is 
lawfull  to  be  disputed.  It  is  Athiesme  and  blas- 
phemie  to  dispute  what  God  can  doe  ...  so,  it 
is  presumption  and  high  contempt  in  a  subject  to 
dispute  what  a  king  can  doe  or  say  that  a  king 
cannot  doe  this.'  These  speeches  abound  in 
valuable  illustrations  of  the  domestic  history  of 
the  reign,  though  the  topics  are  too  varied  to  find 
mention  here. 

Only  once  does  James  refer  to  the  great  political 
theory  which  was  being  debated  in  his  time — the 
theory  of  the  Social  Contract,  afterwards  asso- 
ciated with  the  name  of  Locke.  *  There  is,  say 
they,  a  mutuall  paction,  and  contract  bound  up, 
and  sworne  betwixt  the  king  and  the  people : 
Whereupon  it  followeth,  that  if  the  one  part  of 
the  contract  or  the  Indent  bee  broken  upon  the 


xlvi  INTRODUCTION 

king's  side,  the  people  are  no  longer  bound  to 
keepe  their  part  of  it,  but  are  thereby  freed  of 
their  oath.'  James  denies  the  existence  of  any 
such  contract,  c  especially  containing  such  a  clause 
irritant  as  they  alledge,'  but  admits  that,  at  his 
coronation,  a  king  '  willingly  promiseth  to  his 
people '  to  discharge  his  office  honourably.  But 
God  alone  can  judge  whether  or  not  the  promise 
has  been  broken :  '  the  cognition  and  revenge 
must  only  appertaine  to  him/  and  he  must  first 
'  give  sentence  upon  the  king  that  breaketh.' 

'  Our  play  is  played  out.'  It  is  easy  to  speak 
severely  of  the  puppets;  but  the  feeling  of  the 
reader  will  probably  be  directed  rather  towards 
a  sympathetic  judgment.  The  faults  of  King 
James  lay  largely  on  the  surface.  If  he  has  not 
deserved  the  prophecy  of  his  flatterers  : — 

*  The  Monarks  all  to  thee  shall  quit  their  place : 
Thy  endless  fame  shall  all  the  world  fulfill. 
And  after  thee,  none  worthier  shal  be  scene, 
To    sway  the    Sword,  and   gaine    the   Laurell 
greene,' 

yet  we  may  apply  to  him  the  often-quoted  words 
that  were  written  of  his  grandson :  *  He  had  as 
good  a  claim  to  a  kind  interpretation  as  most 
men.  If  there  might  be  matter  for  objections, 
there  is  not  less  reason  for  excuses ;  the  defects 


INTRODUCTION  xlvii 

laid  to  his  charge,  are  such  as  may  claim  in- 
dulgence from  mankind.  Should  nobody  throw 
a  stone  at  his  faults  but  those  who  are  free  from 
them,  there  would  be  but  a  slender  shower/ 

R.  S.  R. 

NEW  COLLEGE,  OXFORD, 
January  1900. 


ANE    SCHORT 

TREATISE, 

CONTEINING   SOME    REVLIS 

and  cautelis  to  be  observit  and 

eschewit  in  Scottis 

Poesic. 


A   QVADRAIN   OF   ALEXANDRIN 

VERSE,  DECLARING  TO  WHOME  THE 
Authour  hes  direct  it  his  labour 

To  ignorants  obdurde,  whair  wilful  errour  iyis, 
Noryit  to  curious  folks,  whilks  carping  dots  deject  theey 
Noryit  to  learned  men,  wha  thinks  thame  onelie  wyis, 
Bot  to  the  docile  bairns  ofknawledge.  I  direct  thee. 


THE   PREFACE   TO 

the  Reader. 

[HE  cause  why  (docile  Reader)  I 
have  not  dedicat  this  short  treatise 
to  any  particular  personis  (as  com- 
mounly  workis  usis  to  be)  is, 
that  I  esteme  all  thais  wha  hes 
already  some  beginning  of  knawledge,  with  ane 
earnest  desyre  to  atteyne  to  farther,  alyke  meit 
for  the  reading  of  this  worke,  or  any  uther,  whilk 
may  help  thame  to  the  atteining  to  thair  foirsaid 
desyre.  Bot  .as  to  J^his  work,  whilk  is  intitulit, 
The  Reulis  and '  friuldfa  [devices]  to  be  observit  and 
eschewit  in  Scott  is^fjjj^^  ye  may  marvell  para- 
venture,  whairfore  f^rould  have  writtin  in  that 
mater,  sen  sa  mony  learnit  men,  baith  of  auld 
and  of  late  hes  already  written  thairof  in  dyvers 
and  sindry  languages :  I  answer,  That  nochtwith- 
standing,  I  have  lykewayis  writtin  of  it,  for  twa 
caussis :  The  ane  is,  As  for  them  that  wrait  of 
auld,  lyke  as  the  tyme  is  changeit  sensyne  [since 
then]  sa  is  the  ordour  of  Poesie  changeit.  For 
then  they  observit  not  Flowing,  nor  eschewit  not 


4  THE    PREFACE   TO 

Ryming  in  termes,  besydes  sindrie  uther  thingis, 
whilk  now  we  observe,  and  eschew,  and  dois  well 
in  sa  doing :  because  that  now,  when  the  warld  is 
waxit  auld,  we  have  all  their  opinionis  in  writ, 
whilk  were  learned  before  our  tyme,  besydes  our 
awin  ingynis  [abilities],  whairas  they  then  did  it 
onelie  be  thair  awin  ingynis,  but  help  of  any 
uther.  Thairfore,  what  I  speik  of  Poesie  now, 
I  speik  of  it,  as  being  come  to  mannis  age  and 
perfectioun,  whairas  then,  it  was  bot  in  the  infancie 
and  chyldheid.  The  uther  cause  is,  That  as  for 
thame  that  hes  written  in  it  of  late,  there  hes  never 
ane  of  thame  written  in  our  language.  For  albeit 
sindrie  hes  written  of  it  in  English,  whilk  is  lykest 
to  our  language,  yit  we  differ  from  thame  in 
sindrie  reulis  of  Poesie,  as  ye  will  find  be  experi- 
ence. I  have  lykewayis  omittit  dyvers  figures, 
whilkis  are  necessare  to  be  usit  in  verse,  for  two 
causis.  The  ane  is,  because  they  are  usit  in  all 
languages,  and  thairfore  are  spokin  of  be  Du 
Bdlay^  and  sindrie  utheris,  wha  hes  written  in 
this  airt.  Whairfore  gif  I  wrait  of  them  also,  it 
sould  seme  that  I  did  bot  repete  that,  whilk  they 
have  written,  and  yit  not  sa  weil,  as  they  have 
done  already.  The  uther  cause  is,  that  they  are 
figures  of  Rhetorique  and  Dialectique,  whilkis 


1  Du  Bellay  (1524-1560)  formed,  along  with  Ronsard,  Remi 
Belleau,  Jodelle,  Dorat,  Bai'f,  and  Pontus  de  Thiard,  the 
Pl'eiade  of  French  poets  in  the  reign  of  Henri  in.  Brantdme 
( Vies  des  Dames  Ilhistres]  tells  us  that  Du  Bellay  was  a  favourite 
poet  of  James's  mother,  Queen  Mary. 


THE   READER  5 

airtis  I  professe  nocht,  and  thairfore  will  apply 
to  my  selfe  the  counsale,  whilk  ApelUs  gave  to 
the  shoomaker,  when  he  said  to  him,  seing  him 
find  fait  with  the  shankis  of  the  Image  of  Venus, 
efter  that  he  had  found  fait  with  the  pantotm 
[shoe],  Ne  sutor  ultra  crepidam. 

I  will  also  wish  you  (docile  Reidar)  that  or 
[before]  ye  cummer  you  with  reiding  thir  reulis, 
ye  may  find  in  your  self  sic  a  beginning  of  Nature, 
as  ye  may  put  in  practise  in  your  verse  many  of 
thir  foirsaidis  preceptis,  or  ever  ye  sie  them  as 
they  are  heir  set  doun.  For  gif  Nature  be  nocht 
the  cheif  worker  in  this  airt,  Reulis  wilbe  bot  a 
band  to  Nature,  and  will  mak  you  within  short 
space  weary  of  the  haill  airt :  whairas,  gif  Nature 
be  cheif,  and  bent  to  it,  reulis  will  be  ane  help 
and  staff  to  Nature.  I  will  end  heir,  lest  my 
preface  be  langer  nor  my  purpose  and  haill  mater 
following :  wishing  you,  docile  Reidar,  als  gude 
succes  and  great  proffeit  by  reiding  this  short 
treatise,  as  I  tuke  earnist  and  willing  panis  to 
blok  [devise]  it,  as  ye  sie,  for  your  cause.  Fare 
weill. 


I  HAVE  insert  in  the  hinder  end  of  this 
Treatise,  maist  kyndis  of  versis  whilks  are 
not  cuttit  or  brokin,  bot  alyke  many  feit  in  everie 
lyne  of  the  verse,  and  how  they  are  commounly 
namit,  with  my  opinioun  for  what  subiectis  ilk 
[each]  kynde  of  thir  verse  is  meitest  to  be  usit. 


6  THE  PREFACE  TO  THE  READER 

TO  knaw  the  quantitie  of  your  lang  or  short 
fete  in  they  lynes,  whilk  I  have  put  in  the 
reule,  whilk  teachis  you  to  knaw  what  is  Flowing, 
I  have  markit  the  lang  fute  with  this  mark,  — 
and  above  the  heid  of  the  shorte 
fute,  I  have  put  this  mark  w. 
*    * 


SONNET   OF  THE   AVTHOVR 

TO   THE   READER. 

EN  for  your  saik  I  wryte  upon  your  airt, 

Apollo,  Pan,  and  ye  b  Musis  nyne, 
And  thou,  o  Mercure^for  to  help  thy  pairt 
I  do  implore,  sen  thou  by  thy  ingyne, 
Nixt  efter  Pan  had  found  the  whissill,  syne 
Thou  did  perfyte,  that  whilk  he  bot  espyit : 
And  efter  that  made  Argus  for  to  tyne x 
(wha  kepit  lo)  all  his  windois  by  it. 
Concur  re  ye  Gods,  it  can  not  be  deny  it  : 
Sen  in  your  airt  of  Poesie  I  wryte. 
Auld  birds  to  learne  by  teiching  it  is  try  it  : 
Sic  docens  disyans  gifye  help  to  dyte. 

Then  Reidar  sie  of  nature  thou  have  pairt, 
Syne  laikis  thou  nocht,  bot  heir  to  reid  the  airt. 

i  lose. 


SONNET   DECIFRING 

THE   PERFYTE   POETE. 

/I  NE  rype  ingyne,  ane  quick  and  walkncd  ivitt, 
-**•       With  sommair  reasons,  suddenlie  applyit, 
For  every  purpose  using  reasons  fitt, 
With  skilfulnes,  where  learning  may  be  spyit, 
With  pit  hie  wordis,  for  to  expres  you  by  it 
His  full  intention  in  his  proper  leid? 
The  puritie  whairof,  weill  hes  he  try  it  : 
With  memorie  to  keip  what  he  dots  reid, 
With  skilfulnes  and figuris,  whilks  proceid 
From  Rhetorique,  with  everlasting  fame, 
With  uthers  woundring,  preassing  with  all  speid 
For  to  atteine  to  merite  sic  a  name. 
All  thir  2  into  the  perfyie  Poete  be. 
Goddis,  grant  I  may  obteine  the  Laurell  trie. 

1  language.  2  these. 


THE    REVLIS    AND    CAV- 

TELIS  TO  BE  OBSERVIT 

and  eschewit  in  Scottis 

Poesie. 

CAP.    I 

^IRST,   ye    sail    keip   just    cullouris, 
whairof  the  cautelis  are  thir. 

That  ye  ryme  nocht  twyse  in 
ane  syllabe.  As  for  exemple,  that 
ye  make  not  prove  and  reprove 
ryme  together,  nor  hove  for  hoveing  on  hors  bak, 
and  behove. 

That  ye  ryme  ay  to  the  hinmest  [hindmost] 
lang  syllable,  (with  accent)  in  the  lyne,  suppose 
it  be  not  the  hinmest  syllabe  in  the  lyne,  as 
bakbyte  you,  and  out  flyte  [scold]  you,  It  rymes  in 
byte  andyfyte,  because  of  the  lenth  of  the  syllabe, 
and  accent  being  there,  and  not  in  you,  howbeit 
it  be  the  hinmest  syllabe  of  ather  of  the  lynis. 
Or  question  and  digestion,  It  rymes  in  ques  and 
ges,  albeit  they  be  bot  the  antepenult  syllabis, 
and  uther  twa  behind  ilkane  of  thame. 


io          REVLIS   AND    CAVTELIS 

Ye  aucht  alwayis  to  note,  That  as  in  thir  foir- 
saidis,  or  the  lyke  wordis,  it  rymes  in  the  hinmest 
lang  syllabe  in  the  lyne,  althoucht  there  be  uther 
short  syllabis  behind  it,  Sa  is  the  hinmest  lang 
syllabe  the  hinmest  fute,  suppose  there  be  uther 
short  syllabis  behind  it,  whilkis  are  eatin  up  in 
the  pronounceing,  and  na  wayis  comptit  [counted] 
as  fete. 

Ye  man  be  war  likewayis  (except  necessitie 
compell  you)  with  Ryming  in  Termis,  whilk  is  to 
say,  that  your  first  or  hinmest  word  in  the  lyne, 
exceid  not  twa  or  thre  syllabis  at  the  maist,  using 
thrie  als  seindill  [seldom]  as  ye  can.  The  cause 
whairfore  ye  sail  not  place  a  lang  word  first  in 
the  lyne,  is,  that  all  lang  words  hes  ane  syllabe 
in  them  sa  verie  lang,  as  the  lenth  thairof  eatis  up 
in  the  pronouncing  evin  the  uther  syllabes,  whilks 
ar  placit  lang  in  the  same  word,  and  thairfore 
spillis  the  flowing  of  that  lyne.  As  for  exemple, 
in  this  word,  Arabia,  the  second  syllable  (ra)  is 
sa  lang,  that  it  eatis  up  in  the  prononcing  [0], 
whilk  is  the  hinmest  syllabe  of  the  same  word. 
Whilk  [a]  althocht  it  be  in  a  lang  place,  yit  it 
kythis  [appears]  not  sa,  because  of  the  great  lenth 
of  the  preceding  syllable  (ra).  As  to  the  cause 
why  ye  sail  not  put  a  lang  word  hinmest  in  the 
lyne,  It  is,  because,  that  the  lenth  of  the  secound 
syllabe  (ra)  eating  up  the  lenth  of  the  uther  lang 
syllabe,  [a]  makis  it  to  serve  bot  as  a  tayle  vnto 
it,  together  with  the  short  syllabe  preceding. 
And  because  this  tayle  nather  servis  for  cullour 


OF   SCOTTIS    POESIE  11 

nor  fute,  as  I  spak  before,  it  man  [must]  be 
thairfore  repetit  in  the  nixt  lyne  ryming  vnto  it, 
as  it  is  set  doune  in  the  first :  whilk  makis,  that 
ye  will  scarcely  get  many  wordis  to  ryme  vnto  it, 
yea,  nane  at  all  will  ye  finde  to  ryme  to  sindrie 
uther  langer  wordis.  Thairfore  cheifly  be  warre 
of  inserting  sic  lang  wordis  hinmest  in  the  lyne, 
for  the  cause  whilk  I  last  allegit.  Besydis  that 
nather  first  nor  last  in  the  lyne,  it  keipis  na 
Flowing.  The  reulis  and  cautelis  whairof  are 
thir,  as  followis. 


CHAR    II 

|IRST,  ye  man  vnderstand  that  all 
syllabis  are  devydit  in  thrie  kindes : 
That  is,  some  schort,  some  lang, 
and  some  indifferent.  Be  indif- 
ferent I  meane,  they  whilk  are 
ather  lang  or  short,  according  as  ye  place  thame. 

The  forme  of  placeing  syllabes  in  verse,  is  this. 
That  your  first  syllabe  in  the  lyne  be  short,  the 
second  lang,  the  thrid  short,  the  fourt  lang,  the 
fyft  short,  the  sixt  lang,  and  sa  furth  to  the  end 
of  the  lyne.  Alwayis  tak  heid,  that  the  nomber 
of  your  fete  in  every  lyne  be  evin,  and  nocht 
odde :  as  four,  six,  aucht,  or  ten :  and  not  thrie, 
fyve,  sevin,  or  nyne,  except  it  be  in  broken  verse, 
whilkis  are  out  of  reul  and  daylie  inventit  be 
dyvers  Poetis.  Bot  gif  ye  wald  ask  me  the  reulis, 


12          REVLIS    AND    CAVTELIS 

whairby  to  knaw  everie  ane  of  thir  thre  foirsaidis 
kyndis  of  syllabes,  I  answer,  Your  eare  man  [must] 
be  the  onely  iudge  and  discerner  thairof.  And  to 
prove  this,  I  remit  to  the  iudgement  of  the  same, 
whilk  of  thir  twa  lynis  following  flowis  best, 

Into  the  Sea  then  Lucifer  upsprang. 

In  the  Sea  then  Lucifer  to  usprang. 

I  doubt  not  bot  your  eare  makkis  you  easilie  to 
persave,  that  the  first  lyne  flowis  weil,  and  the 
uther  nathing  at  all.  The  reasoun  is,  because  the 
first  lyne  keips  the  reule  abone  written,  to  wit, 
the  first  fute  short,  the  secound  lang,  and  sa 
furth,  as  I  shewe  before :  whair  as  the  uther  is 
direct  contrair  to  the  same.  Bot  specially  tak 
heid,  when  your  lyne  is  of  fourtene,  that  your 
Sectioun  in  aucht  [eight]  be  a  lang  monosyllabe, 
or  ellis  the  hinmest  syllabe  of  a  word  alwais  being 
lang,  as  I  said  before.  The  cause  why  it  man 
be  ane  of  thir  twa,  is,  for  the  Musique,  because 
that  when  your  lyne  is  ather  of  xiiij  or  xij  fete,  it 
wilbe  drawin  sa  lang  in  the  singing,  as  ye  man 
rest  in  the  middes  of  it,  whilk  is  the  Sectioun :  sa 
as,  gif  your  Sectioun  be  nocht  ather  a  mono- 
syllabe, or  ellis  the  hinmest  syllabe  of  a  word,  as 
I  said  before,  bot  the  first  syllabe  of  a  poly- 
syllabe,  the  Musique  sail  make  you  sa  to  rest  in 
the  middes  of  that  word,  as  if  sail  cut  the  ane 
half  of  the  word  fra  the  uther,  and  sa  sail  mak  it 
seme  twa  different  wordis,  that  is  bot  ane.  This 


OF   SCOTTIS    POESIE  13 

aucht  [ought]  onely  to  be  observit  in  thir  foirsaid 
lang  lynis  :  for  the  shortnes  of  all  shorter  lynis, 
than  thir  before  mentionat,  is  the  cause,  that  the 
Musique  makis  na  rest  in  the  middes  of  thame, 
and  thairfore  thir  observationis  servis  nocht  for 
thame.  Onely  tak  heid,  that  the  Sectioun  in 
thame  kythe  something  langer  nor  any  uther  feit 
in  that  lyne,  except  the  secound  and  the  last,  as 
I  have  said  before. 

Ye  man  tak  heid  lykewayis,  that  your  langest 
lynis  exceid  nochte  fourtene  fete,  and  that  your 
shortest  be  nocht  within  foure. 

Remember  also  to  mak  a  Sectioun  in  the  middes 
of  every  lyne,  whether  the  lyne  be  lang  or  short. 
Be  Sectioun  I  mean,  that  gif  your  lyne  be  of  four- 
tene fete,  your  aucht  fute  man  not  only  be  langer 
then  the  sevint,  or  uther  short  fete,  but  also  langer 
nor  any  uther  lang  fete  in  the  same  lyne,  except 
the  secound  and  the  hinmest.  Or  gif  your  lyne 
be  of  twelf  fete,  your  Sectioun  to  be  in  the  sext. 
Or  gif  of  ten,  your  Sectioun  to  be  in  the  sext  also. 
The  cause  why  it  is  not  in  fyve,  is,  because  fyve 
is  odde,  and  everie  odde  fute  is  short.  Or  gif 
your  lyne  be  of  aucht  fete,  your  Sectioun  to  be  in 
the  fourt.  Gif  of  sex,  in  the  fourt  also.  Gif  of 
four,  your  Sectioun  to  be  in  twa. 

Ye  aucht  likewise  be  war  with  oft  composing 
your  haill  lynis  of  monosyllabis  onely,  (albeit  our 
language  have  sa  many,  as  we  can  nocht  weill 
eschewe  it)  because  the  maist  pairt  of  thame  are 
indifferent,  and  may  be  in  short  or  lang  place,  as 


14  REVLIS    AND    CAVTELIS 

ye  like.     Some  wordis  of  dyvers  syllabis  are  like- 
wayis  indifferent,  as 

Thairfore,  restore. 
I  thairfore^  then. 

In  the  first,  thairfore^  (thair)  is  short,  and 
(fore)  is  lang :  In  the  uther,  (thair)  is  lang,  and 
(fore)  is  short,  and  yit  baith  flowis  alike  weill. 
Bot  thir  indifferent  wordis,  composit  of  dyvers 
syllabes,  are  rare,  suppose  [although],  in  mono- 
syllabes,  commoun.  The  cause  then,  why  ane 
haill  lyne  aucht  nocht  to  be  composit  of  mono- 
syllabes  only,  is,  that  they  being  for  the  maist 
pairt  indifferent,  nather  the  secound,  hinmest,  nor 
Scctioun>  will  be  langer  nor  the  other  lang  fete  in 
the  same  lyne.  Thairfore  ye  man  place  a  word 
composit  of  dyvers  syllabes,  and  not  indifferent, 
ather  in  the  secound,  hinmest,  or  Sectioun,  or  in 
all  thrie. 

Ye  man  also  tak  heid,  that  when  thare  fallis 
any  short  syllabis  efter  the  last  lang  syllabe  in  the 
lyne,  that  ye  repeit  thame  in  the  lyne  whilk  rymis 
to  the  uther,  even  as  ye  set  them  downe  in  the 
first  lyne  :  as  for  exempill,  ye  man  not  say 

Thenfeir  nocht 
Nor  heir  ocht. 

Bot 

Then  feir  nocht 
Nor  heir  nocht. 

Repeting  the  same,  nochf,  in  baith  the  lynis  : 


OF    SCOTTIS    POESIE  15 

because  this  syllabe,  nocht,  nather  serving  for 
cullour  nor  fute,  is  hot  a  tayle  to  the  lang  fute 
preceding,  and  thairfore  is  repetit  lykewayis  in 
the  nixt  lyne,  whilk  rymes  unto  it,  evin  as  it  set 
doun  in  the  first. 

There  is  also  a  kynde  of  indifferent  wordis, 
asweill  as  of  syllabis,  albeit  few  in  nomber.  The 
nature  whairof  is,  that  gif  ye  place  thame  in  the 
begynning  of  a  lyne,  they  are  shorter  be  a  fute, 
nor  they  are,  gif  ye  place  thame  hinmest  in  the 
lyne,  as 

Sen  patience  I  man  have  perforce. 

I  live  in  hope  with  patience. 

Ye  se  there  are  bot  aucht  fete  in  ather  of  baith 
thir  lynis  above  written.  The  cause  whairof  is, 
that  patience,  in  the  first  lyne,  in  respect  it  is  in 
the  beginning  thairof,  is  bot  of  twa  fete,  and  in 
the  last  lyne,  of  thrie,  in  respect  it  is  the  hinmest 
word  of  that  lyne.  To  knaw  and  discerne  thir 
kynde  of  wordis  from  utheris,  your  eare  man  be 
the  onely  iudge,  as  of  all  the  other  parts  of 
Flowing,  the  verie  twichestane  [touchstone]  whair- 
of is  Musique. 

I  have  teachit  you  now  shortly  the  reulis  of 
JRyming,  Fete,  and  Flowing.  There  restis  yet  to 
teache  you  the  wordis,  sentences,  and  phrasis 
necessair  for  a  Poete  to  use  in  his  verse,  whilk  I 
have  set  doun  in  reulis,  as  efter  followis, 


16          REVLIS   AND   CAVTELIS 


CHAP.    Ill 

JIRST,  that  in  whatsumever  ye  put 
in  verse,  ye  put  in  na  wordis, 
ather  metri  causa,  or  yit,  for  filling 
furth  the  nomber  of  the  fete,  hot 
that  they  be  all  sa  necessare,  as  ye 
sould  be  constrainit  to  use  thame,  in  cace  ye  were 
speiking  the  same  purpose  in  prose.  And  thair- 
fore  that  your  wordis  appeare  to  have  cum  out 
willingly,  and  by  nature,  and  not  to  have  bene 
thrawin  out  constrainedly,  be  compulsioun. 

That  ye  eschew  to  insert  in  your  verse,  a  lang 
rable  of  mennis  names,  or  names  of  tounis,  or 
sik  [such]  uther  names.  Because  it  is  hard  to 
mak  many  lang  names  all  placit  together,  to  flow 
weill.  Thairfore  when  that  fallis  out  in  your 
purpose,  ye  sail  ather  put  bot  twa  or  thrie  of 
thame  in  everie  lyne,  mixing  uther  wordis  amang 
thame,  or  ellis  specific  bot  twa  or  thre  of  them 
at  all,  saying  ( With  the  laif  [remainder]  of  that 
race)  or  (  With  the  rest  in  thay  pairtis,)  or  sic 
uther  lyke  wordis  :  as  for  example, 

Out  through  his  cairt,  vuhair  Eous  was  eik 
With  other  thre,  whilk  Phaeton  had  drawin. 

Ye  sie  thair  is  bot  ane  name  there  specifeit,  to 
serve  for  uther  thrie  of  that  sorte. 

Ye  man  also  take  heid  to  frame  your  wordis  and 
sentencis  according  to  the  mater :  As  in  Flyting 


OF    SCOTTIS    POESIE  17 

and  Invectives,  your  wordis  to  be  cuttit  short, 
and  hurland  over  heuch.  For  thais  whilkis  are 
cuttit  short,  I  meane  be  sic  wordis  as  thir, 

Us  neir  cair, 
for 

/  sail  never  cair,  gif  your  subiect 
were  of  love,  or  tragedies.  Because  in  thame  your 
words  man  be  drawin  lang,  whilkis  in  Flyting  man 
be  short. 

Ye  man  lykewayis  tak  heid,  the  ye  waill  [choose] 
your  wordis  according  to  the  purpose  :  As,  in  ane 
heich  and  learnit  purpose,  to  use  heich,  pithie, 
and  learnit  wordis. 

Gif  your  purpose  be  of  love,  To  use  commoun 
language,  with  some  passionate  wordis. 

Gif  your  purpose  be  of  tragicall  materis,  To  use 
lamentable  wordis,  with  some  heich,  as  ravishit 
in  admiratioun. 

Gif  your  purpose  be  of  landwart  effairis,  To  use 
corruptit  and  uplandis  wordis. 

And  finally,  whatsumever  be  your  subiect,  to 
use  vocabula  artis,  whairby  ye  may  the  mair  vivelie 
represent  that  persoun,  whais  pairt  ye  paint  out. 

This  is  likewayis  neidfull  to  be  usit  in  sentences, 
als  weill  as  in  wordis.  As  gif  your  subiect  be 
heich  and  learnit,  to  use  learnit  and  infallible 
reasonis,  provin  be  necessities. 

Gif  your  subiect  be  of  love,  To  use  wilfull 
reasonis,  preceding  rather  from  passioun,  nor 
reasoun. 

Gif  your  subiect  be  of  landwart  effaris,  To  use 
B 


i8          REVLIS    AND    CAVTELIS 

sklender  reasonis,  mixt  with  grosse  ignorance, 
nather  keiping  forme  nor  ordour.  And  sa  furth, 
ever  framing  your  reasonis,  according  to  the 
qualitie  of  your  subiect. 

Let  all  your  verse  be  Literal^  sa  far  as  may  be, 
whatsumever  kynde  they  be  of,  bot  speciallie 
Tumbling  verse  for  flyting.  Be  Literall  I  meane, 
that  the  maist  pairt  of  your  lyne,  sail  rynne  upon 
a  letter,  as  this  tumbling  lyne  rynnis  upon  F. 

Fetching fude  for  to  feid  it  fast  furth  of  the  Farie. 

Ye  man  observe  that  thir  Tumbling  verse  flowis 
not  on  that  fassoun,  as  utheris  dois.  For  all 
utheris  keipis  the  reule  whilk  I  gave  before,  To 
wit,  the  first  fute  short  the  secound  lang,  and  sa 
furth.  Whair  as  thir  hes  twa  short,  and  ane  lang 
throuch  all  the  lyne,  when  they  keip  ordour: 
albeit  the  maist  pairt  of  thame  be  out  of  ordour, 
and  keipis  na  kynde  nor  reule  of  Flowing,  and 
for  that  cause  are  callit  Tumbling  verse :  except 
the  short  lynis  of  aucht  in  the  hinder  end  of  the 
verse,  the  whilk  flowis  as  uther  verses  dois,  as  ye 
will  find  in  the  hinder  end  of  this  buke,  whair  I 
gave  exemple  of  sindrie  kyndis  of  versis. 


OF    SCOTTIS    POESIE  19 


CHAP.    IIII 

|  ARK  also  thrie  speciall  ornamentis 
to  verse,  whilkis  are,  Comparisons, 
Epithetis,  and  Proverbis. 

As  for  Comparisons,  take  held 
that  they  be  sa  proper  for  the 
subiect,  that  nather  they  be  over  bas,  gif  your 
subiect  be  heich,  for  then  sould  your  subiect 
disgrace  your  Comparisoun,  nather  your  Com- 
parisoun  be  heich  when  your  subiect  is  basse,  for 
then  sail  your  Comparisoun  disgrace  your  subiect. 
Bot  let  sic  a  mutuall  correspondence  and  simili- 
tude be  betwix  them,  as  it  may  appeare  to  be  a 
meit  Comparisoun  for  sic  a  subiect,  and  sa  sail 
they  ilkane  decore l  uther. 

As  for  Epithetis,  It  is  to  descry ve  brieflie,  en 
passant,  the  naturall  of  everie  thing  ye  speik  of, 
be  adding  the  proper  adiective  unto  it,  whairof 
there  are  twa  fassons.  The  ane  is,  to  descryve  it, 
be  making,  a  corruptit  worde,  composit  of  twa 
dyvers  simple  wordis,  as 

Apollo  gyde-Sunne 

The  uther  fasson,  is,  be  Circumlocution,  as 
Apollo  reular  of  the  Sunne. 

I  esteme  this  last  fassoun  best,  Because  it 
expressis  the  authoris  meaning  als  weill  as  the 


1  So  shall  they  each  adorn  the  other. 


20          REVLIS    AND    CAVTELIS 

uther,  and  yet  makis  na  corruptit  wordis,  as  the 
uther  dois. 

As  for  the  Proverbis,  they  man  be  proper  for 
the  subiect,  to  beautifie  it,  chosen  in  the  same 
forme  as  the  Comparisoun. 


CHAP.    V 

\  T  is  also  meit,  for  the  better  decora- 
tioun  of  the  verse  to  use  sumtyme 
the  figure  of  Repetitioun,  as 

Why  Us  ioy  rang, 
Why  Its  noy  rang,  etc. 

Ye  sie  this  word  whylis  is  repetit  heir.  This 
forme  of  repetitioun  sometyme  usit,  decoris  the 
verse  very  mekle.  Yea  when  it  cummis  to 
purpose,  it  will  be  cumly  to  repete  sic  a  word 
aucht  or  nyne  tymes  in  a  verse. 


CHAP.    VI 

man  also  be  warre  with  composing 
ony  thing  in  the  same  maner,  as 
hes  bene  ower  oft  usit  of  before. 
As  in  speciall,  gif  ye  speik  of  love, 
be  warre  ye  descryve  your  Loves 
makdome  [shape],  or  her  fairnes.  And  siclyke 
that  ye  descryve  not  the  morning,  and  rysing  of 
the  Sunne,  in  the  Preface  of  your  verse  :  for  thir 
thingis  are  sa  oft  and  dyverslie  writtin  upon  be 


OF  SCOTTIS  IPOESIE          21 

Poetis  already,  that  gif  ye  do  the  lyke,  it  will 
appeare,  ye  hot  imitate,  and  that  it  cummis  not 
of  your  awin  Inventioun,  whilk  is  ane  of  the  cheif 
properteis  of  ane  Poete.  Thairfore  gif  your 
subiect  be  to  prayse  your  Love,  ye  sail  rather 
prayse  hir  uther  qualiteis,  nor  her  fairnes,  or  hir 
shaip :  or  ellis  ye  sail  speik  some  lytill  thing  of  it, 
and  syne  [then]  say,  that  your  wittis  are  sa  smal, 
and  your  utterance  sa  barren,  that  ye  can  not 
discryve  any  part  of  hir  worthelie :  remitting 
alwayis  to  the  Reider,  to  iudge  of  hir,  in  respect 
sho  matches,  or  rather  excellis  Venus,  or  any 
woman,  whome  to  it  sail  please  you  to  compaire 
her.  Bot  gif  your  subiect  be  sic,  as  ye  man  speik 
some  thing  of  the  morning,  or  Sunne  rysing,  tak 
heid,  that  what  name  ye  give  to  the  Sunne,  the 
Mone,  or  uther  starris,  the  ane  tyme,  gif  ye 
happin  to  wryte  thairof  another  tyme,  to  change 
thair  names.  As  gif  ye  call  the  Sunne  Titan,  at 
a  tyme,  to  call  him  Phoebus  or  Apollo  the  uther 
tyme,  and  siclyke  the  Mone,  and  uther  Planettis. 

CHAP.    VII 

>  OT  sen  Invention,  is  ane  of  the  cheif 
vertewis  in  a  Poete,  it  is  best  that 
ye  invent  your  awin  subiect,  your 
self,  and  not  to  compose  of  sene 
subiectis.  Especially,  translating 
any  thing  out  of  uther  language,  whilk  doing,  ye 
not  onely  essay  not  your  awin  ingyne  of  Inven- 


22          REVLIS   AND    CAVTELIS 

tioun,  bot  be  the  same  meanes,  ye  are  bound,  as 
to  a  staik,  to  follow  that  buikis  phrasis,  whilk  ye 
translate. 

Ye  man  also  be  war  of  wryting  any  thing  of 
materis  of  commoun  weill,  or  uther  sic  grave  sene 
subiectis  (except  Metaphorically,  of  manifest  treuth 
opinly  knawin,  yit  nochtwithstanding  using  it  very 
seindil)  because  nocht  onely  ye  essay  nocht  your 
awin  Inventioun,  as  I  spak  before,  bot  lykewayis 
they  are  too  grave  materis,  for  a  Poet  to  mell  in 
[meddle  with].  Bot  because  ye  can  not  have  the 
Inventioun,  except  it  come  of  Nature,  I  remit  it 
thairunto,  as  the  cheif  cause,  not  onely  of  Inven- 
ttoun,  bot  also  of  all  the  uther  pairtis  of  Poesie. 
For  airt  is  onely  bot  ane  help  and  a  remem- 
braunce  to  Nature,  as  I  shewe  you  in  the  Preface. 


CHAP.  VIII  tuiching  the  kyndis  of  versis, 
mentionat  in  the  Preface 

IRST,  there  is  ryme  whilk  servis 
onely  for  lang  historeis,  and  yit 
are  nocht  verse  As  for  exemple, 

In  Mali  when   that  the  blissefull 

Phoebus  bricht, 

The  lamp  of  joy,  the  heavens  gemme  of  licht 
The  goldin  cairt,  and  the  etheriall  King, 
With  purp  our  face  in  Orient  dots  spring, 
Maist  angel-lyke  ascending  in  his  sphere, 
And  birds  with  all  thair  heavenlie  voces  clear e 


OF   SCOTTIS    POESIE  23 

Dots  mak  a  siveit  and  heavinly  harmony, 
And  fragrant  flours  dots  spring  up  lustely : 
Into  this  season  sweitest  of  delyte, 
To  walk  I  had  a  lusty  appetyte. 

And  sa  furth. 

II  For  the  descriptioun  of  Heroique  actis,  Martiall 
and  knichtly  faittis  of  armes,  use  this  kynde  of 
verse  following,  callit  Heroicall,  As 

Meik  mundane  mirrour,  myrrie  and  modest, 

Blyth,  kynde,  and  courtes,  comelie,  dene,  and  chest, 

To  all  exemplefor  thy  hones  tie, 

As  richest  rose,  or  rubie,  by  the  rest, 

With  gracis  grave,  and  gesture  maist  digest^ 

Ay  to  thy  honnour  alwayis  having  eye, 

Were  fassons  fliemde?  they  micht  be  found  in  the : 

Ofblissings  all,  be  blyth,  thou  hes  the  best, 

With  everie  berne  belovitfor  to  be. 

H  For  any  heich  and  grave  subiectis,  specially 
drawin  out  of  learnit  authouris,  use  this  kynde  of 
verse  following,  callit  Ballat  Royal,  as 

That  nicht  he  ceist,  and  went  to  bed,  bot  greind* 
Yit  fast  for  day,  and  thocht  the  nicht  to  lang: 
At  last  Diana  doun  her  head  recleind, 
Into  the  sea.     Then  Lucifer  upsprang, 
Auroras  post,  whome  sho  did  send  amang 
The  leittie  cluddsffor  to  foretell  ane  hour, 
Before  sho  stay  her  tears,  whilk  Ovide  sang 
Fell  for  her  love,  whilk  turnit  in  a  flour. 


1  orderly,  sober.  2  strange, 

desire,  longing.  <  clouds  (jet-black). 


24          REVLIS    AND    CAVTELIS 

U  For  tragicall  materis,  complaintis,  or  testa- 
mentis,  use  this  kynde  of  verse  following,  callit 
Troilus  verse,  as 

To  thee  Echo,  and  thou  to  me  agane,1 
In  the  desert,  amangs  the  ivods  and  wells, 
Whair  destinie  hes  bound  the  to  remane, 
But  company,  within  the  firths  and  fells, 
Let  us  complein,  with  wofull  shoutts  and  yells, 
A  shaft,  a  shotter,  that  our  harts  hes  slane  : 
To  thee  Echo,  and  thou  to  me  agane. 

U  For  flyting,  or  Invectives,  use  this  kynde  of 
verse  following,  callit  Rouncefallis,  or  Tumbling 
verse. 

In  the  hinder  end  of  harvest  upon  Alhallow  ene, 
When  our  gude  nichtbors 2  rydis  (nou  gif  I  reid  richf] 
Some  bucklit  on  a  benwod?  and  some  on  a  benef 
Ay  trottandinto  troupes  fra  the  twylicht: 
Some  sadland  a  she  ape,  all  grathed**  into  grene: 
Some  hotcheand*  on  a  hemp  stalk,  hovand  on  a  heicht. 
The  king  of  Far y  with  the  Court  of  the  Elf  queue, 
With  many  elrage^  Incubus  rydand  that  nicht  : 


1  All  the  quotations  made  in  the   Treatise  have  not  been 
identified;   but  the  specimens  of  'Troilus  verse/  'Flyting,' 
'  Commoun  verse,'  and  'cuttit  and  broken  verse,'  are  from 
Alexander  Montgomerie,  who  held  a  post  in  the  king's  service 
They  will  be  found  in  the  edition  of  Montgomerie's  works, 
edited  for  the  Scottish  Text  Society,  by  Dr.  Cranstoun  (1887). 

2  the  fairies.  3  bunwand,  hempstalk,  ragwort. 
4  bean.                              5  dressed. 

6  mounting  with  a  sudden  jerk.     The  suffix  -and  =«  -ing. 

7  elvish. 


OF   SCOTTIS    POESIE  25 

There  ane  elf  on  ane  ape  ane  unsell1  begat : 
Besyde  a  pot  baith  auld  and  worne^ 
This  bratshard  in  ane  bus  was  borne : 
They  f and  a  monster  on  the  morne^ 

War^facit  nor  a  Cat? 

U  For  compendious  praysing  of  any  bukes,  or  the 
authouris  thairof,  or  ony  argumentis  of  uther 
historeis,  whair  sundrie  sentences,  and  change  of 
purposis  are  requyrit,  use  Sonet  verse,  of  fourtene 
lynis,  and  tene  fete  in  every  lyne.  The  exemple 
whairof,  I  neid  nocht  to  shaw  you,  in  respect  I 
have  set  doun  twa  in  the  beginning  of  this  treatise. 

U  In  materis  of  love,  use  this  kynde  of  verse, 
whilk  we  call  Commoun  verse,  as 

Whais  answer  made  thame  nocht  sa  glaid 

That  they  sould  thus  the  victors  be> 

As  even  the  answer  whilk  I  haid 

Did  greatly  toy  and  confort  me  : 

When  lo,  this  spak  Apollo  myne, 

All  that  thou  seikis,  it  sail  be  thyne. 

1  worthless  creature.  2  worse. 

3  This  passage  thus  appears  in  Montgomerie's  Poems  : 
1  In  the  hinder  end  of  harvest,  on  Alhallow  even, 

When  our  good  neighbours  doe  ryd,  gif  I  read  right, 

Some  buckled  on  a  bunwand,  and  some  on  a  been. 

Ay  trottand  in  trupes  from  the  twilight ; 

Some  sadleand  a  shoe  aip  all  graithed  into  green, 

Some  hobland  on  ane  hempstalke,  hoveand  to  the  hight. 

The  King  of  Pharie,  and  his  court,  with  the  Elfe  Queen, 

With  many  elrich  Incubus,  was  rydand  that  night. 

There  ane  elf,  on  ane  aipe,  ane  unsell  begat, 

Into  ane  Pot,  by  Pomathorne, 

That  bratchart  in  ane  busse  was  borne  : 

They  fand  ane  monster,  on  the  morne 

War  faced  nor  a  cat.' 


26          REVLIS   AND    CAVTELIS 

U  Lyke  verse  of  ten  fete,  as  this  foirsaid  is  of 
audit,  ye  may  use  lykewayis  in  love  materis :  as 
also  all  kyndis  of  cuttit  and  brokin  verse,  whairof 
new  formes  are  day  lie  inventit  according  to  the 
Poetes  pleasour,  as 

Who,  wald  have  tyrde  to  heir  that  tone, 
Whilk  birds  corroborat  ay  abone 

Throuch  schouting  of  the  Larkis  ? 
They  sprang  sa  heich  into  the  skyes 
Whill  Cupide  walknis  with  the  cryis 

OfNaturis  chapell  Clarkis. 
Then  leaving  all  the  Heavins  above 

He  lichted  on  the  eard. 
Lo  !  how  that  lytill  God  of  love. 

Before  me  then  appeard, 
So  myld-lyke 

With  bow  thre  quarters  skant 
And  chylde-lyke 

So  moylte1 

He  lukit  lyke  a  Sant. 

And  coylie 
And  sa  furth. 

U  This  onely  kynde  of  brokin  verse  abone  written, 
man  of  necessitie,  in  thir  last  short  fete,  as  so 
moylie  and  coylie,  have  bot  twa  fete  and  a  tayle  to 
ilkane  of  thame,  as  ye  sie,  to  gar  the  cullour  and 
ryme  be  in  the  penult  syllabe. 

U  And  of  thir  foirsaidis  kyndes  of  ballatis  of  haill 
verse,  and  not  cuttit  or  brokin  as  this  last  is,  gif 
ye  lyke  to  put  ane  overword  till  ony  of  thame,  as 

1  mildly. 


OF   SCOTTIS    POESIE  27 

making  the  last  lyne  of  the  first  verse,  to  be  the 

last  lyne  of  everie  uther  verse  in  that  ballat,  will 

set  weill  for  love  materis.    Bot  besydis  thir  kyndes 

of  brokin  or  cuttit  verse,  whilks  ar  inventit  daylie 

be  Poet  is,  as  I  shewe  before,  there  are  sindrie 

kyndes  of  haill  verse,  with  all  thair  lynis  alyke 

lang,  whilk  I  have  heir  omittit,  and  tane l  bot 

onelie  thir  few  kyndes  abone  specifeit  as 

the  best,  whilk  may  be  applyit  to  ony 

kynde  of  subiect,  bot  rather  to 

thir,   whairof  I   have 

spokin  before. 

1  taken. 


A 

COVNTER 

BLASTE  TO 

Tobacco 


Imprinted  at  London 

by  R.  B. 

Anno  1604 


UTO    THE    READER 


>  S  every  humane  body  (deare  Countrey 
men)  how  wholesome  soever,  is  not- 
withstanding subject,  or  at  least 
naturally  inclined  to  some  sorts  of 
diseases,  or  infirmities :  so  is  there 
no  Common-wealth,  or  Body-politicke,  how  well 
governed,  or  peaceable  soever  it  bee,  that  lackes  the 
owne  popular  errors,  and  naturally  enclined  corrup- 
tions :  and  therefore  is  it  no  wonder,  although  this 
our  Countrey  and  Common-wealth,  though  peace- 
able, though  wealthy,  though  long  flourishing  in 
both,  be  amongst  the  rest,  subiect  to  the  owne 
naturall  infirmities.  We  are  of  all  Nations  the 
people  most  loving  and  most  reverently  obedient  to 
our  Prince,  yet  are  wee  (as  time  hath  often  borne 
witnesse)  too  easie  to  be  seduced  to  make  Rebellion, 
upon  very  slight  grounds.  Our  fortunate  and  oft 
prooved  valour  in  warres  abroad,  our  heartie  and 
reverent  obedience  to  our  Princes  at  home,  hath  bred 
us  a  long,  and  a  thrice  happy  peace :  Our  Peace 


32  TO   THE    READER 

hath  bred  wealth:  And  Peace  and  wealth  hath 
brought  foorth  a  generall  sluggishness^  which  makes 
us  wallow  in  all  sorts  of  idle  delights,  and  soft 
delicacies •,  the  first  seedes  of  the  subversion  of  all 
great  Monarchies.  Our  Cleargie  are  become  negli- 
gent and  lazie,  our  Nobilitie  and  Gentrie  prodigal!, 
and  solde  to  their  private  delights,  Our  Lawyers 
covetous ',  our  Common-people  prodigall  and  curious ; 
and  generally  all  sorts  of  people  more  carefull  for 
their  privat  ends,  then  for  their  mother  the  Com- 
mon-wealth. 

For  remedie  whereof,  it  is  the  Kings  part  (as  the 
proper  Phisician  of  his  Politicke-body)  to  purge  it 
of  all  those  diseases,  by  Medicines  meet e  for  the  same: 
as  by  a  certain  milde,  and  yet  iust  forme  of  govern- 
ment, to  maintaine  the  Publicke  quietnesse,  and  pre- 
vent all  occasions  of  Commotion :  by  the  example  of 
his  owne  Person  and  Court,  to  make  us  all  ashamed 
of  our  sluggish  delicacie,  and  to  stirre  us  up  to  the 
practise  againe  of  all  honest  exercises,  and  Martial  I 
shadowes  of  IVarre  ;  As  likewise  by  his,  and  his 
Courts  moderatenesse  in  Apparell,  to  make  us 
ashamed  of  our  prodigalitie :  By  his  quicke  ad- 
monitions and  carefull  overseeing  of  the  Cleargie,  to 
waken  them  up  againe,  to  be  more  diligent  in  their 
Offices :  By  the  sharp  e  trial  I,  and  severe  punish- 
ment of  the  partiall,  covetous  and  bribing  Lawyers, 
to  reforme  their  corruptions ;  And  generally  by  the  . 
example  of  his  owne  Person,  and  by  the  due  execu- 


TOTHEREADER  33 

tion  of  good  Lawes,  to  reforme  and  abolish,  piece 
and  puce,  these  old  and  evill  grounded  abuses.  For 
this  will  not  bee  Opus  unius  diei,  but  as  every  one 
of  these  diseases,  must  from  the  King  receive  the 
owne  cure  proper  for  it,  so  are  there  some  sorts  of 
abuses  in  Commonwealths,  that  though  they  be  of  so 
base  and  contemptible  a  condition,  as  they  are  too 
low  for  the  Law  to  looke  on,  and  too  meanefor  a 
King  to  interpone  his  authoritie,  or  bend  his  eye 
upon :  yet  are  they  corruptions,  aswell  as  the  great- 
est of  them.  So  is  an  Ant  an  Animal,  aswell  as 
an  Elephant :  so  is  a  Wrenne  Avis,  aswell  as  a 
Swanne,  and  so  is  a  small  dint  of  the  Toothake,  a 
disease  aswell  as  thefearefull  Plague  is.  But  for 
these  base  sorts  of  corruption  in  Common-wealthes, 
not  onely  the  King,  or  any  inferior  Magistrate,  but 
Quilibet  e  populo  may  serve  to  be  a  Phisician,  by 
discovering  and  impugning  the  error,  and  by  per- 
s  wading  reformation  thereof. 

And  surely  in  my  opinion,  there  cannot  be  a  more 
base,  and  yet  hurtful!,  corruption  in  a  Countrey, 
then  is  the  vile  use  (or  other  abuse)  of  taking 
Tobacco  in  this  Kingdome,  which  hath  mooved  me, 
shortly  to  discover  the  abuses  thereof  in  this  follow- 
ing little  Pamphlet. 

If  any  thinke  it  a  light  Argument,  so  is  it  but  a 
toy  that  is  bestowed  upon  it.  And  since  the  Subiecl 
is  but  of  Smoke,  I  thinke  the  fume  of  an  idle  braine, 
may  serve  for  a  sufficient  battery  against  so  fumous 


34  TO    THE   READER 

and  feeble  an  enemy.     If  my  grounds  be  found  true, 

it  is  all  I  looke  for ;  but  if  they  cary  the  force  of 

perswasion  with  them,  it  is  all  I  can  wish,  and 

more  than  I  can  expect.     My  onely  care  is,  that 

you,  my  deare  Countrey-men,  may  rightly  conceive 

even  by  this  smallest  trifle,  of  the  sinceritie  of  my 

meaning  in  greater  matters,  never  to  spare 

any  paine,   that  may   tend  to  the 

procuring  of  your  weale 

and  prosperitie. 


A 
COUNTERBLASTE  TO 

Tobacco 

HAT  the  manifolde  abuses  of  this  vile 
custome  of  Tobacco  taking,  may  the 
better  be  espied,  it  is  fit,  that  first 
you  enter  into  consideration  both 
of  the  first  originall  thereof,  and  like- 
wise of  the  reasons  of  the  first  entry  thereof  into 
this  Countrey.  For  certainely  as  such  customes, 
that  have  their  first  institution  either  from  a 
godly,  necessary,  or  honorable  ground,  and  are 
first  brought  in,  by  the  meanes  of  some  worthy, 
vertuous,  and  great  Personage,  are  ever,  and 
most  iustly,  holden  in  great  and  reverent  estima- 
tion and  account,  by  all  wise,  vertuous,  and 
temperate  spirits:  So  should  it  by  the  contrary, 
iustly  bring  a  great  disgrace  into  that  sort  of 
customes,  which  having  their  originall  from  base 
corruption  and  barbarity,  doe  in  like  sort,  make 
their  first  entry  into  a  Countrey,  by  an  incon- 


36  A    COUNTERBLASTS 

siderate  and  childish  affectation  of  Noveltie,  as 
is  the  true  case  of  the  first  invention  of  Tobacco 
taking,  and  of  the  first  entry  therefore  among  us. 
For  Tobacco  being  a  common  herbe,  which  (though 
under  divers  names)  growes  almost  every  where, 
was  first  found  out  by  some  of  the  barbarous 
Indians,  to  be  a  Preservative,  or  Antidot  against  the 
Pockes,  a  filthy  disease,  whereunto  these  barbarous 
people  are  (as  all  men  know)  very  much  subiect, 
what  through  the  uncleanly  and  adust  constitution 
of  their  bodies,  and  what  through  the  intemperate 
heate  of  their  Climat :  so  that  as  from  them  was 
first  brought  into  Christendome,  that  most  detest- 
able disease,  so  from  them  likewise  was  brought 
this  use  of  Tobacco,  as  a  stinking  and  unsavorie 
Antidot,  for  so  corrupted  and  execrable  a  Maladie, 
the  stinking  Suffumigation  whereof  they  yet  use 
against  that  disease,  making  so  one  canker  or 
venime  to  eate  out  another. 

And  now  good  Countrey  men  let  us  (I  pray 
you)  consider,  what  honour  or  policie  can  moove 
us  to  imitate  the  barbarous  and  beastly  maners 
of  the  wilde,  godlesse,  and  slavish  Indians,  especi- 
ally in  so  vile  and  stinking  a  custome  ?  Shall  wee 
that  disdaine  to  imitate  the  maners  of  our  neigh- 
bour France  (having  the  stile  of  the  first  Christian 
Kingdom)  and  that  cannot  endure  the  spirit  of 
the  Spaniards  (their  King  being  now  comparable 
in  largenes  of  Dominions,  to  the  great  Emperor 
of  Turkic)  Shall  wee,  I  say,  that  have  bene  so 
long  civill  and  wealthy  in  Peace,  famous  and 


TO   TOBACCO  37 

invincible  in  Warre,  fortunate  in  both,  we  that 
have  bene  ever  able  to  aide  any  of  our  neighbours 
(but  never  deafed  any  of  their  eares  with  any  of 
our  supplications  for  assistance)  shall  we,  I  say, 
without  blushing,  abase  our  selves  so  farre,  as 
to  imitate  these  beastly  Indians,  slaves  to  the 
Spaniards,  refuse  to  the  world,  and  as  yet  aliens 
from  the  holy  Covenant  of  God  ?  Why  doe  we 
not  as  well  imitate  them  in  walking  naked  as  they 
doe  ?  in  preferring  glasses,  feathers,  and  such 
toyes,  to  gclde  and  precious  stones,  as  they  do  ? 
yea  why  do  we  not  denie  God  and  adore  the 
Devill,  as  they  doe  ? 

Now  to  the  corrupted  basenesse  of  the  first  use 
of  this  Tobacco,  doeth  very  well  agree  the  foolish 
and  groundlesse  first  entry  thereof  into  this  King- 
dome.  It  is  not  so  long  since  the  first  entry  of 
this  abuse  amongst  us  here,  as  this  present  age 
cannot  yet  very  well  remember,  both  the  first 
Author,  and  the  forme  of  the  first  introduction 
of  it  amongst  us.  It  was  neither  brought  in  by 
King,  great  Conquerour,  nor  learned  Doctor  of 
Phisicke.1 

With  the  report  of  a  great  discovery  for  a 
Conquest,  some  two  or  three  Savage  men,  were 
brought  in,  together  with  this  Savage  custome. 
But  the  pitie  is,  the  poore  wilde  barbarous  men 
died,  but  that  vile  barbarous  custome  is  yet  alive, 
yea  in  fresh  vigor;  so  as  it  seemes  a  miracle  to 


1  Cf.  Note  A.  p.  55. 


38  A    COUNTERBLASTE 

me,  how  a  custome  springing  from  so  vile  a 
ground,  and  brought  in  by  a  father  so  generally 
hated,  should  be  welcomed  upon  so  slender  a 
warrant.  For  if  they  that  first  put  it  in  practise 
heere,  had  remembred  for  what  respect  it  was 
used  by  them  from  whence  it  came,  I  am  sure 
they  would  have  bene  loath,  to  have  taken  so 
farre  the  imputation  of  that  disease  upon  them  as 
they  did,  by  using  the  cure  thereof.  For  Sanis 
non  est  opus  medico,  and  counter  -  poisons  are 
never  used,  but  where  poyson  is  thought  to 
precede. 

But  since  it  is  true,  that  divers  customes  slightly 
grounded,  and  with  no  better  warrant  entred  in  a 
Commonwealth,  may  yet  in  the  use  of  them  there- 
after, proove  both  necessary  and  profitable ;  it  is 
therefore  next  to  be  examined,  if  there  be  not  a 
full  Sympathie  and  true  Proportion,  betweene  the 
base  ground  and  foolish  entrie,  and  the  loathsome, 
and  hurtfull  use  of  this  stinking  Antidote. 

I  am  now  therefore  heartily  to  pray  you  to 
consider,  first  upon  what  false  and  erroneous 
grounds  you  have  first  built  the  generall  good 
liking  thereof;  and  next,  what  sinnes  towards 
God,  and  foolish  vanities  before  the  world  you 
commit,  in  the  detestable  use  of  it. 

As  for  these  deceitfull  grounds,  that  have 
specially  mooved  you  to  take  a  good  and  great 
conceit  thereof,  I  shall  content  my  selfe  to 
examine  here  onely  foure  of  the  principals  of 
them ;  two  founded  upon  the  Theoricke  of  a 


TO    TOBACCO  39 

deceivable  apparance  of  Reason,  and  two  of 
them  upon  the  mistaken  Practicke  of  generall 
Experience. 

First,  it  is  thought  by  you  a  sure  Aphorisme  in 
the  Physickes,1  That  the  braines  of  all  men, 
beeing  naturally  colde  and  wet,  all  dry  and  hote 
things  should  be  good  for  them ;  of  which  nature 
this  stinking  suffumigation  is,  and  therefore  of 
good  use  to  them.  Of  this  Argument,  both  the 
Proposition  and  Assumption  are  false,  and  so  the 
Conclusion  cannot  but  be  voyd  of  it  selfe.  For 
as  to  the  Proposition,  That  because  the  braines 
are  colde  and  moist,  therefore  things  that  are 
hote  and  drie  are  best  for  them,  it  is  an  inept 
consequence :  For  man  beeing  compounded  of 
the  foure  Complexions,  (whose  fathers  are  the 
foure  Elements)  although  there  be  a  mixture  of 
them  all  in  all  the  parts  of  his  body,  yet  must  the 
divers  parts  of  our  Microcosms  or  little  world 
within  our  selves,  be  diversly  more  inclined,  some 
to  one,  some  to  another  complexion,  according  to 
the  diversitie  of  their  uses,  that  of  these  discords 
a  perfect  harmonic  may  bee  made  up  for  the 
maintenance  of  the  whole  body. 

The  application  then  of  a  thing  of  a  contrary 
nature,  to  any  of  these  parts,  is  to  interrupt  them 
of  their  due  function,  and  by  consequence  hurtfull 
to  the  health  of  the  whole  body.  As  if  a  man, 
because  the  Liver  is  hote  (as  the  fountaine  of  blood) 


1  Cf.  Note  B.  p.  55. 


40  A    COUNTERBLASTS 

and  as  it  were  an  oven  to  the  stomacke,  would 
therfore  apply  and  weare  close  upon  his  Liver  and 
stomacke  a  cake  of  lead ;  he  might  within  a  very 
short  time  (I  hope)  be  susteined  very  good  cheape 
at  an  Ordinarie,  beside  the  cleering  of  his  con- 
science from  that  deadly  sinne  of  gluttonie.  And 
as  if,  because  the  Heart  is  full  of  vital  spirits,  and 
in  perpetuall  motion,  a  man  would  therefore  lay  a 
heavy  pound  stone  on  his  breast,  for  staying  and 
holding  downe  that  wanton  palpitation,  I  doubt 
not  but  his  breast  would  bee  more  bruised  with 
the  weight  thereof,  then  the  heart  would  be 
comforted  with  such  a  disagreeable  and  contrari- 
ous  cure.  And  even  so  is  it  with  the  Braines. 
For  if  a  man,  because  the  Braines  are  colde  and 
humide,  would  therefore  use  inwardly  by  smells, 
or  outwardly  by  application,  things  of  hot  and 
drie  qualitie,  all  the  gaine  that  he  could  make 
thereof,  would  onely  be  to  put  himselfe  in  a  great 
forwardnesse  for  running  mad,  by  over-watching 
himselfe,  the  coldnesse  and  moistnesse  of  our 
braine  beeing  the  onely  ordinarie  meanes  that 
procure  our  sleepe  and  rest.  Indeed  I  do  not 
denie,  but  when  it  falls  out  that  any  of  these,  or 
any  part  of  our  bodie  growes  to  be  distempered, 
and  to  tend  to  an  extremitie,  beyond  the  compasse 
of  Natures  temperate  mixture,  that  in  that  case 
cures  of  contrary  qualities,  to  the  intemperate 
inclination  of  that  part,  being  wisely  prepared 
and  discreetely  ministered,  may  be  both  neces- 
sarie  and  helpefull  for  strengthning  and  assisting 


TO    TOBACCO  41 

Nature  in  the  expulsion  of  her  enemies :  for  this 
is  the  true  definition  of  all  profitable  Physicke. 

But  first  these  Cures  ought  not  to  bee  used, 
but  where  there  is  neede  of  them,  the  contrarie 
whereof,  is  daily  practised  in  this  generall  use  of 
Tobacco  by  all  sorts  and  complexions  of  people. 

And  next,  I  deny  the  Minor  of  this  argument, 
as  I  have  already  said,  in  regard  that  this  Tobacco, 
is  not  simply  of  a  dry  and  hot  qualitie;  but 
rather  hath  a  certaine  venemous  facultie  ioyned 
with  the  heate  thereof,  which  makes  it  have  an 
Antipathic  against  nature,  as  by  the  hatefull  smell 
thereof  doeth  well  appeare.  For  the  Nose  being 
the  proper  Organ  and  convoy  of  the  sense  of 
smelling  to  the  braines,  which  are  the  onely 
fountaine  of  that  sense,  doeth  ever  serve  us  for 
an  infallible  witnesse,  whether  that  Odour  which 
we  smell,  be  healthfull  or  hurtfull  to  the  braine 
(except  when  it  fals  out  that  the  sense  it  selfe  is 
corrupted  and  abused  through  some  infirmitie, 
and  distemper  in  the  braine).  And  that  the  suffu- 
migation  thereof  cannot  have  a  drying  qualitie, 
it  needes  no  further  probation,  then  that  it  is  a 
smoake,  all  smoake  and  vapour,  being  of  it  selfe 
humide,  as  drawing  neere  to  the  nature  of  the 
ayre,  and  easie  to  be  resolved  againe  into  water, 
whereof  there  needes  no  other  proofe  but  the 
Meteors,  which  being  bred  of  nothing  else  but  of 
the  vapours  and  exhalations  sucked  up  by  the 
Sunne  out  of  the  earth,  the  Sea,  and  waters  yet 
are  the  same  smoakie  vapours  turned,  and  trans- 


42  A   COUNTERBLASTS 

formed  into  Raynes,  Snowes,  Deawes,  hoare 
Frostes,  and  such  like  waterie  Meteors,  as  by 
the  contrarie  the  raynie  cloudes  are  often  trans- 
formed and  evaporated  in  blustering  winds. 

The  second  Argument  grounded  on  a  show  of 
reason  is,  That  this  filthie  smoake,  aswell  through 
the  heat  and  strength  thereof,  as  by  a  naturall 
force  and  qualitie,  is  able  and  fit  to  purge  both 
the  head  and  stomacke  of  Rhewmes  and  distilla- 
tions, as  experience  teacheth,  by  the  spitting  and 
avoyding  fleame,  immeadiately  after  the  taking 
of  it.  But  the  fallacie  of  this  Argument  may 
easily  appeare,  by  my  late  preceding  description 
of  the  Meteors.  For  even  as  the  smoakie  vapours 
sucked  up  by  the  Sunne,  and  staied  in  the  lowest 
and  colde  Region  of  the  ayre,  are  there  con- 
tracted into  cloudes  and  turned  into  raine  and 
such  other  watery  Meteors :  So  this  stinking 
smoake  being  sucked  up  by  the  Nose,  and  im- 
prisoned in  the  colde  and  moyst  braines,  is  by 
their  colde  and  wett  facultie,  turned  and  cast 
foorth  againe  in  waterie  distillations,  and  so  are 
you  made  free  and  purged  of  nothing,  but  that 
wherewith  you  wilfully  burdened  your  selves  :  and 
therefore  are  you  no  wiser  in  taking  Tobacco  for 
purging  you  of  distillations,  then  if  for  preventing 
the  Cholike  you  would  take  all  kinde  of  windie 
meates  and  drinkes,  and  for  preventing  of  the 
Stone,  you  would  take  all  kinde  of  meates  and 
drinkes  that  would  breede  gravell  in  the  Kidneyes, 
and  then  when  you  were  forced  to  avoyde  much 


TO   TOBACCO  43 

winde  out  of  your  stomacke,  and  much  gravell  in 
your  Vrine,  that  you  should  attribute  the  thanke 
thereof  to  such  nourishments  as  bred  those  within 
you,  that  behoved  either  to  be  expelled  by  the 
force  of  Nature,  or  you  to  have  burst  at  the  broad 
side,  as  the  Proverbe  is. 

As  for  the  other  two  reasons  founded  upon 
experience,  the  first  of  which  is,  That  the  whole 
people  would  not  have  taken  so  generall  a  good 
liking  thereof,  if  they  had  not  by  experience  found 
it  verie  soveraigne  and  good  for  them  :  For  answere 
thereunto  how  easily  the  mindes  of  any  people, 
wherewith  God  hath  replenished  this  world,  may 
be  drawen  to  the  foolish  affectation  of  any  noveltie, 
I  leave  it  to  the  discreet  iudgement  of  any  man 
that  is  reasonable. 

Doe  we  not  dayly  see,  that  a  man  can  no 
sooner  bring  over  from  beyond  the  Seas  any  new 
forme  of  apparell,  but  that  hee  can  not  bee 
thought  a  man  of  spirit,  that  would  not  presently 
imitate  the  same?  And  so  from  hand  to  hand 
it  spreades,  till  it  be  practised  by  all,  not  for  any 
commoditie  that  is  in  it,  but  only  because  it  is 
come  to  be  the  fashion.  For  such  is  the  force  of 
that  naturall  Selfe-love  in  every  one  of  us,  and 
such  is  the  corruption  of  envie  bred  in  the  brest 
of  every  one,  as  we  cannot  be  content  unlesse  we 
imitate  every  thing  that  our  fellowes  doe,  and  so 
proove  our  selves  capable  of  every  thing  whereof 
they  are  capable,  like  Apes,  counterfeiting  the 
maners  of  others,  to  our  owne  destruction.  For 


44  A    COUNTERBLASTE 

let  one  or  two  of  the  greatest  Masters  of  Mathe- 
matickes  in  any  of  the  two  famous  Vniversities, 
but  constantly  affirme  any  cleare  day,  that  they 
see  some  strange  apparition  in  the  skies :  they 
will  I  warrant  you  be  seconded  by  the  greatest 
part  of  the  Students  in  that  profession  :  So  loath 
will  they  be,  to  bee  thought  inferiour  to  their 
fellowes,  either  in  depth  of  knowledge  or  sharp- 
nesse  of  sight :  And  therefore  the  generall  good 
liking  and  imbracing  of  this  foolish  custome, 
doeth  but  onely  proceede  from  that  affectation 
of  noveltie,  and  popular  errour,  whereof  I  have 
already  spoken. 

The  other  argument  drawen  from  a  mistaken 
experience,  is  but  the  more  particular  probation 
of  this  generall,  because  it  is  alleaged  to  be  found 
true  by  proofe,  that  by  the  taking  of  Tobacco 
divers  and  very  many  doe  fmde  themselves  cured 
of  divers  diseases  as  on  the  other  part,  no  man 
ever  received  harme  thereby.  In  this  argument 
there  is  first  a  great  mistaking  and  next  a 
monstrous  absurditie.  For  is  it  not  a  very  great 
mistaking,  to  take  Non  causam  pro  causa  ^  as  they 
say  in  the  Logicks  ?  because  peradventure  when 
a  sicke  man  hath  had  his  disease  at  the  height, 
hee  hath  at  that  instant  taken  Tobacco,  and  after- 
ward his  disease  taking  the  naturall  course  of 
declining,  and  consequently  the  patient  of  re- 
covering his  health,  O  then  the  Tobacco  forsooth, 
was  the  worker  of  that  miracle.  Beside  that,  it  is 
a  thing  well  knowen  to  all  Phisicians,  that  the 


TO   TOBACCO  45 

apprehension  and  conceit  of  the  patient  hath  by 
wakening  and  uniting  the  vitall  spirits,  and  so 
strengthening  nature,  a  great  power  and  vertue, 
to  cure  divers  diseases.  For  an  evident  proofe 
of  mistaking  in  the  like  case,  I  pray  you  what 
foolish  boy,  what  sillie  wench,  what  olde  doting 
wife,  or  ignorant  countrey  clowne,  is  not  a 
Phisician  for  the  toothach,  for  the  cholicke,  and 
divers  such  common  diseases?  Yea,  will  not 
every  man  you  meete  withal,  teach  you  a  sundry 
cure  for  the  same,  and  sweare  by  that  meane 
either  himselfe,  or  some  of  his  neerest  kinsmen 
and  friends  was  cured  ?  And  yet  I  hope  no  man 
is  so  foolish  as  to  beleeve  them..  And  al  these 
toyes  do  only  proceed  from  the  mistaking  Non 
causam  pro  causa,  as  I  have  already  sayd,  and  so 
if  a  man  chance  to  recover  one  of  any  disease, 
after  he  hath  taken  Tobacco,  that  must  have  the 
thankes  of  all.  But  by  the  contrary,  if  a  man 
smoke  himselfe  to  death  with  it  (and  many  have 
done)  O  then  some  other  disease  must  beare  the 
blame  for  that  fault.  .  .  .  And  so  doe  olde 
drunkards  thinke  they  prolong  their  dayes,  by 
their  swinelike  diet,  but  never  remember  howe 
many  die  drowned  in  drinke  before  they  be  halfe 
olde. 

And  what  greater  absurditie  can  there  bee,  then 
to  say  that  one  cure  shall  serve  for  divers,  nay, 
contrarious  sortes  of  diseases  ?  It  is  an  un- 
doubted ground  among  all  Phisicians,  that  there 
is  almost  no  sort  either  of  nourishment  or 


46  A   COUNTERBLASTS 

medicine,  that  hath  not  some  thing  in  it  dis- 
agreeable to  some  part  of  mans  bodie,  because, 
as  I  have  already  sayd,  the  nature  of  the  tempera- 
ture of  every  part,  is  so  different  from  another, 
that  according  to  the  olde  proverbe,  That  which 
is  good  for  the  head,  is  evill  for  the  necke  and 
the  shoulders.  For  even  as  a  strong  enemie,  that 
invades  a  towne  or  fortresse,  although  in  his  siege 
thereof,  he  do  belaie  and  compasse  it  round  about, 
yet  he  makes  his  breach  and  entrie,  at  some  one 
or  few  special  parts  thereof,  which  hee  hath  tried 
and  found  to  bee  weakest  and  least  able  to  resist : 
so  sickenesse  doth  make  her  particular  assault, 
upon  such  part  or  parts  of  our  bodie,  as  are 
weakest  and  easiest  to  be  overcome  by  that  sort 
of  disease,  which  then  doth  assaile  us,  although 
all  the  rest  of  the  body  by  Sympathie  feele  it 
selfe,  to  be  as  it  were  belaied,  and  besieged  by 
the  affliction  of  that  speciall  part,  the  griefe  and 
smart  thereof  being  by  the  sence  of  feeling  dis- 
persed through  all  the  rest  of  our  members.  And 
therefore  the  skilfull  Phisician  presses  by  such 
cures,  to  purge  and  strengthen  that  part  which  is 
afflicted,  as  are  only  fit  for  that  sort  of  disease, 
and  doe  best  agree  with  the  nature  of  that  infirme 
part ;  which  being  abused  to  a  disease  of  another 
nature,  would  proove  as  hurtfull  for  the  one,  as 
helpfull  for  the  other.  Yea,  not  only  will  a  skilfull 
and  warie  Phisician  bee  carefull  to  use  no  cure 
but  that  which  is  fit  for  that  sort  of  disease,  but 
he  wil  also  consider  all  ot^er  circumstances,  and 


TO    TOBACCO  47 

make  the  remedies  salable  thereunto :  as  the 
temperature  of  the  clime  where  the  Patient  is, 
the  constitution  of  the  Planets,  the  time  of  the 
Moone,  the  season  of  the  yere,  the  age  and  com- 
plexion of  the  Patient,  and  the  present  state  of 
his  body,  in  strength  or  weakenesse.  For  one 
cure  must  not  ever  be  used  for  the  self-same 
disease,  but  according  to  the  varying  of  any  of 
the  foresaid  circumstances,  that  sort  of  remedie 
must  be  used  which  is  fittest  for  the  same.  Whear 
by  the  contrarie  in  this  case,  such  is  the  miracu- 
lous omnipotencie  of  our  strong  tasted  Tobacco,  as 
it  cures  all  sorts  of  diseases  (which  never  any 
drugge  could  do  before)  in  all  persons,  and  at  all 
times.  It  cures  all  maner  of  distillations,  either 
in  the  head  or  stomacke  (if  you  beleeve  their 
Axiomes)  although  in  very  deede  it  doe  both 
corrupt  the  braine,  and  by  causing  over  quicke 
disgestion,  fill  the  stomacke  full  of  crudities.  It 
cures  the  Gowt  in  the  feet,  and  (which  is  miracu- 
lous) in  that  very  instant  when  the  smoke  thereof, 
as  light,  flies  up  into  the  head,  the  vertue  thereof, 
as  heavie,  runs  downe  to  the  little  toe.  It  helpes 
all  sorts  of  Agues.  It  makes  a  man  sober  that 
was  drunke.  It  refreshes  a  weary  man,  and  yet 
makes  a  man  hungry.  Being  taken  when  they 
goe  to  bed,  it  makes  one  sleepe  soundly,  and  yet 
being  taken  when  a  man  is  sleepie  and  drowsie, 
it  will,  as  they  say,  awake  his  braine,  and  quicken 
his  understanding.  As  for  curing  of  the  Pockes, 
it  serves  for  that  use  but  among  the  pockie  Indian 


48  A    COUNTERBLASTE 

slaves.  Here  in  England  it  is  refined,  and  will 
not  deigne  to  cure  heere  any  other  then  cleanly 
and  gentlemanly  diseases.  O  omnipotent  power 
of  Tobacco  \  And  if  it  could  by  the  smoke  thereof 
chace  out  devils,  as  the  smoke  of  Tobias  fish  did 
(which  I  am  sure  could  smel  no  stronglier)  it 
would  serve  for  a  precious  Relicke,  both  for  the 
superstitious  Priests,  and  the  insolent  Puritanes, 
to  cast  out  devils  withall. 

"""Admitting  then,  and  not  confessing  that  the 
use  thereof  were  healthfull  for  some  sortes  of 
diseases;  should  it  be  used  for  all  sicknesses? 
should  it  be  used  by  all  men?  should  it  be 
used  at  al  times  ?  yea  should  it  be  used  by  able, 
yong,  strong,  healthful  men  ?  Medicine  hath  that 
vertue,  that  it  never  leaveth  a  man  in  that  state 
wherin  it  findeth  him:  it  makes  a  sicke  man 
whole,  but  a  whole  man  sicke.  And  as  Medicine 
helpes  nature  being  taken  at  times  of  necessitie, 
so  being  ever  and  continually  used,  it  doth  but 
weaken,  wearie,  and  weare  nature,  What  speake 
I  of  Medicine  ?  Nay  let  a  man  every  houre  of 
the  day,  or  as  oft  as  many  in  this  countrey  use  to 
take  Tobacco,  let  a  man  I  say,  but  take  as  oft  the 
best  sorts  of  nourishments  in  meate  and  drinke 
that  can  bee  devised,  hee  shall  with  the  con- 
tinuall  use  thereof  weaken  both  his  head  and 
his  stomacke :  all  his  members  shall  become 
feeble,  his  spirits  dull,  and  in  the  end,  as  a 
drowsie  lazie  belly-god,  he  shall  evanish  in  a 
Lethargic. 


TO   TOBACCO  49 

And  from  this  weaknesse  it  proceeds,  that 
many  in  this  kingdome  have  had  such  a  con- 
tinuall  use  of  taking  this  unsavorie  smoke,  as  now 
they  are  not  able  to  forbeare  the  same,  no  more 
then  an  olde  drunkard  can  abide  to  be  long  sober, 
without  falling  into  an  uncurable  weakenesse  and 
evill  constitution :  for  their  continuall  custome 
hath  made  to  them,  habitum^  alterant  naturam  :  so 
to  those  that  from  their  birth  have  bene  con- 
tinually nourished  upon  poison  and  things  venem- 
ous,  wholesome  meates  are  onely  poisonable. 

Thus  having,  as  I  truste,  sufficiently  answered 
the  most  principall  arguments  that  are  used  in 
defence  of  this  vile  custome,  it  rests  onely  to 
informe  you  what  sinnes  and  vanities  you  commit 
in  the  filthie  abuse  thereof.  First,  are  you  not 
guiltie  of  sinnefull  and  shamefull  lust?  (for  lust 
may  bee  as  well  in  any  of  the  senses  as  in  feeling) 
that  although  you  bee  troubled  with  no  disease, 
but  in  perfect  health,  yet  can  you  neither  be 
merry  at  an  Ordinarie,  nor  lascivious  in  the 
Stewes,  if  you  lack  Tobacco  to  provoke  your 
appetite  to  any  of  those  sorts  of  recreation,  lust- 
ing after  it  as  the  children  of  Israel  did  in  the 
wildernesse  after  Quailes  ?  Secondly  it  is,  as  you 
use  or  rather  abuse  it,  a  branche  of  the  sinne  of 
drunkennesse,  which  is  the  roote  of  all  sinnes : 
for  as  the  onely  delight  that  drunkards  take  in 
Wine  is  in  the  strength  of  the  taste,  and  the  force 
of  the  fume  thereof  that  mounts  up  to  the  braine  : 
for  no  drunkards  love  any  weake,  or  sweete  drinke  : 
D 


50  A   COUNTERBLASTE 

so  are  not  those  (I  meane  the  strong  heate  and 
the  fume)  the  onely  qualities  that  make  Tobacco 
so  delectable  to  all  the  lovers  of  it  ?  And  as  no 
man  likes  strong  headie  drinke  the  first  day 
(because  nemo  repente  fit  turpissimus)  but  by 
custome  is  piece  and  piece  allured,  while  in  the 
ende,  a  drunkard  will  have  as  great  a  thirst  to 
bee  drunke,  as  a  sober  man  to  quench  his  thirst 
with  a  draught  when  hee  hath  need  of  it:  So 
is  not  this  the  very  case  of  all  the  great  takers 
of  Tobacco  ?  which  therefore  they  themselves  do 
attribute  to  a  bewitching  qualitie  in  it.  Thirdly, 
is  it  not  the  greatest  sinne  of  all,  that  you  the 
people  of  all  sortes  of  this  Kingdome,  who  are 
created  and  ordeined  by  God  to  bestowe  both 
your  persons  and  goods  for  the  maintenance  both 
of  the  honour  and  safetie  of  your  King  and 
Commonwealth,  should  disable  your  selves  in 
both  ?  In  your  persons  having  by  this  continuall 
vile  custome  brought  your  selves  to  this  shameful 
imbecilitie,  that  you  are  not  able  to  ride  or  walke 
the  iourney  of  a  lewes  Sabboth,  but  you  must 
have  a  reekie  cole  brought  you  from  the  next 
poore  house  to  kindle  your  Tobacco  with  ?  whereas 
he  cannot  be  thought  able  for  any  service  in  the 
warres,  that  cannot  endure  oftentimes  the  want  of 
meate,  drinke  and  sleepe,  much  more  then  must 
hee  endure  the  want  of  Tobacco.  In  the  times  of 
the  many  glorious  and  victorious  battailes  fought 
by  this  Nation,  there  was  no  word  of  Tobacco. 
But  now  if  it  were  time  of  warres,  and  that  you 


TO   TOBACCO  51 

were  to  make  some  sudden  Cavalcado  upon  your 
enemies,  if  any  of  you  should  seeke  leisure  to  stay 
behinde  his  fellowe  for  taking  of  Tobacco,  for  my 
part  I  should  never  bee  sorie  for  any  evill  chance 
that  might  befall  him.  To  take  a  custome  in 
any  thing  that  cannot  bee  left  againe,  is  most 
harmefull  to  the  people  of  any  land.  Mollicies 
and  delicacie  were  the  wracke  and  overthrow, 
first  of  the  Persian,  and  next  of  the  Romane 
Empire.  And  this  very  custome  of  taking  Tobacco 
(whereof  our  present  purpose  is)  is  even  at  this 
day  accounted  so  effeminate  among  the  Indians 
themselves,  as  in  the  market  they  will  offer  no 
price  for  a  slave  to  be  sold,  whom  they  finde  to 
be  a  great  Tobacco  taker. 

Now  how  you  are  by  this  custome  disabled  in 
your  goods,  let  the  Gentry  of  this  lande  beare 
witnesse,  some  of  them  bestowing  three,  some 
foure  hundred  pounds  a  yeere  upon  this  precious 
stinke,  which  I  am  sure  might  be  bestowed  upon 
many  farre  better  uses.  I  read  indeede  of  a 
knavish  Courtier,  who  for  abusing  the  favour  of 
the  Emperour  Alexander  Severus  his  Master  by 
taking  bribes  to  intercede,  for  sundry  persons  in 
his  Masters  eare,  (for  whom  he  never  once  opened 
his  mouth)  was  iustly  choked  with  smoke,  with 
this  doome,  Fnmo  pereat,  quifumum  vendidit :  but 
so  many  smoke-buyers,  as  are  at  this  present  in 
this  kingdome,  I  never  read  nor  heard. 

And  for  the  vanities  committed  in  this  filthie 
custome,  is  it  not  both  great  vanitie  and  uncleane- 


52  A   COUNTERBLASTE 

nesse,  that  at  the  table,  a  place  of  respect,  of 
cleanlinesse,  of  modestie,  men  should  not  be 
ashamed,  to  sit  tossing  of  Tobacco  pipes,  and 
puffing  of  the  smoke  of  Tobacco  one  to  another, 
making  the  filthy  smoke  and  stinke  thereof,  to 
exhale  athwart  the  dishes,  and  infect  the  aire, 
when  very  often,  men  that  abhorre  it  are  at  their 
repast?  Surely  Smoke  becomes  a  kitchin  far 
better  then  a  Dining  chamber,  and  yet  it  makes 
a  kitchin  also  oftentimes  in  the  inward  parts  of 
men,  soiling  and  infecting  them,  with  an  unctuous 
and  oily  kinde  of  Soote,  as  hath  bene  found  in 
some  great  Tobacco  takers,  that  after  their  death 
were  opened.  And  not  onely  meate  time,  but 
no  other  time  nor  action  is  exempted  from  the 
publike  use  of  this  uncivill  tricke :  so  as  if  the 
wives  of  Diepe  list  to  contest  with  this  Nation  for 
good  maners  their  worst  maners  would  in  all 
reason  be  found  at  least  not  so  dishonest  (as  ours 
are)  in  this  point.  The  publike  use  whereof,  at 
all  times,  and  in  all  places,  hath  now  so  farre 
prevailed,  as  divers  men  very  sound  both  in 
iudgement,  and  complexion,  have  bene  at  last 
forced  to  take  it  also  without  desire,  partly  because 
they  were  ashamed  to  seeme  singular,  (like  the 
two  Philosophers  that  were  forced  to  duck  them- 
selves in  that  raine  water,  and  so  become  fooles 
aswell  as  the  rest  of  the  people)  and  partly,  to  be 
as  one  that  was  content  to  eate  Garlicke  (which 
hee  did  not  love)  that  he  might  not  be  troubled 
with  the  smell  of  it,  in  the  breath  of  his  fellowes. 


TO    TOBACCO  53 

And  is  it  not  a  great  vanitie,  that  a  man  cannot 
heartily  welcome  his  friend  now,  but  straight  they 
must  bee  in  hand  with  Tobacco  ?  No  it  is  become 
in  place  of  a  cure,  a  point  of  good  fellowship, 
and  he  that  will  refuse  to  take  a  pipe  of  Tobacco 
among  his  fellowes,  (though  by  his  own  election 
he  would  rather  feel  the  savour  of  a  Sinke)  is 
accounted  peevish  and  no  good  company,  even 
as  they  doe  with  tippeling  in  the  cold  Easterne 
Countries.  Yea  the  Mistresse  cannot  in  a  more 
manerly  kinde,  entertaine  her  servant,  then  by 
giving  him  out  of  her  faire  hand  a  pipe  of  Tobacco. 
But  herein  is  not  onely  a  great  vanitie,  but  a 
great  contempt  of  Gods  good  giftes,  that  the 
sweetenesse  of  mans  breath,  being  a  good  gift  of 
God,  should  be  willfully  corrupted  by  this  stink- 
ing smoke,  wherein  I  must  confesse,  it  hath  too 
strong  a  vertue  :  and  so  that  which  is  an  ornament 
of  nature,  and  can  neither  by  any  artifice  be  at 
the  first  acquired,  nor  once  lost,  be  recovered 
againe,  shall  be  filthily  corrupted  with  an  incur- 
able stinke,  which  vile  qualitie  is  as  directly 
contrary  to  that  wrong  opinion  which  is  holden 
of  the  wholesomnesse  thereof,  as  the  venime 
of  putrifaction  is  contrary  to  the  vertue  Pre- 
servative. 

Moreover,  which  is  a  great  iniquitie,  and  against 
all  humanitie,  the  husband  shall  not  bee  ashamed, 
to  reduce  thereby  his  delicate,  wholesome,  and 
cleane  complexioned  wife,  to  that  extremitie,  that 
either  shee  must  also  corrupt  her  sweete  breath 


54  A    COUNTERBLASTE 

therewith,  or  else  resolve  to  live  in  a  perpetuall 
staking  torment. 

/  Have  you  not  reason  then  to  bee  ashamed,  and 
to  forbeare  this  filthie  noveltie,  so  basely  grounded, 
so  foolishly  received  and  so  grossely  mistaken  in 
the  right  use  thereof?     In   your  abuse   thereof 
sinning  against  God,  harming  your  selves  both  in 
persons  and  goods,  and  raking  also  thereby  the 
markes  and  notes  of  vanitie  upon  you :  by  the 
custome  thereof  making  your  selves  to  be  won- 
dered at  by  all  forraine  civil  Nations,  and  by  all 
strangers  that  come  among  you,  to  be  scorned 
and  contemned.     A  custome  lothsome  to  the  eye, 
hatefull  to  the  Nose,  harmefull  to  the  braine,  danger- 
ous to  the  Lungs,  and  in  the  blacke  stinking 
fume  thereof,  neerest  resembling 
the  horrible  Stigian  smoke 
of  the  pit  that  is 
bottomelesse. 


NOTES 

NOTE  A.    THE  INTRODUCTION  OF  TOBACCO 

Professor  Arber  has  printed,  in  his  edition  of  the  Coun- 
terblastCy  some  forty  pages  of  extracts  with  reference  to  the 
introduction  of  tobacco  into  England,  and  we  propose  to 
give  here  only  a  brief  summary  of  the  facts.  John  Nicot, 
who  was  French  ambassador  in  Portugal,  seems  to  have 
introduced  it  into  France  about  1560  (whence  the  name 
*  Nicotine '),  and  Sir  John  Hawkins  brought  it  to  England 
about  five  years  later.  It  was  certainly  known  in  England 
for  a  considerable  time  before  Raleigh  returned  from  his 
first  voyage  to  Virginia  in  1584.  We  have  no  evidence 
that  Raleigh  brought  any  tobacco  with  him.  A  subsequent 
expedition,  which  went  out  under  Ralph  Lane  in  1585  and 
returned  with  Drake  in  1586,  learned  the  habit  of  tobacco- 
smoking,  and  did  much  to  spread  it  in  this  country.  A 
general  tradition  connects  the  popularisation  of  the  custom 
with  the  name  of  Sir  Walter  Raleigh.  The  earliest  refer- 
ence to  Raleigh's  responsibility  in  the  matter  is  the  passage 
in  the  Counterblasts  (p.  37),  where  King  James  says :  '  It 
was  neither  brought  in  by  King,  great  Conqueror,  nor 
learned  Doctor  of  Phisicke  .  .  .  [but]  by  a  father  so 
generally  hated.'  James  was,  of  course,  glad  of  the  op- 
portunity of  denouncing  the  unfortunate  Raleigh.  The 
Counterblaste  is  evidence  of  the  rapid  growth  of  the  habit. 

NOTE  B.    THE  MEDICINAL  USE  OF  TOBACCO 

Tobacco  was,  at  first,  imagined  to  possess  valuable  medi- 
cinal properties.  Nicot,  who  had  received  the  herb  '  as  a 
strange  Plant  brought  from  Florida,'  found  that  his  servants 


56  NOTES 

used  it  for  ulcers ;  and  when  his  cook  had  made  a  deep  gash 
in  his  thumb,  they  *  ran  to  the  said  Nicotiane,  and  dressed 
him  therewith  five  or  sixe  tymes,  and  so  in  the  ende  thereof 
he  was  healed. '  Thomas  Hariot,  the  mathematician,  who 
was  one  of  Lane's  company  of  a  hundred  and  three  adven- 
turers, published  in  1588  a  description  of  Virginia,  in 
which  he  said :  *  The  leaves  [of  tobacco]  being  dried  and 
brought  into  powder,  they  use  to  take  the  fume  or  smoke 
thereof  by  sucking  it  through  pipes  made  of  claie  into  their 
stomacke  and  heade ;  from  whence  it  purgeth  superfluous 
fleame  and  other  grosse  humours,  openeth  all  the  pores 
and  passages  of  the  body  .  .  .  whereby  their  bodies  are 
notably  preserved  in  health,  and  know  not  many  greevous 
diseases  wherewithall  wee  in  England  are  oftentimes 
afflicted.  .  .  .  We  ourselves  during  the  time  we  were  there 
used  to  suck  it  after  their  maner,  as  also  since  our  returne, 
and  have  found  manie  rare  and  wonderful  experiments  of 
the  vertues  thereof.'  There  was  thus  good  reason  for 
King  James's  devoting  a  portion  of  his  argument  to  the 
medicinal  uses  of  tobacco  ;  but  his  treatment  of  the  topic 
contains  obvious  exaggerations.  The  references  to  the 
medical  phraseology  of  the  time  possess  considerable  in- 
terest, and  the  reader  may  compare  them  with  Francis 
Bacon's  physical  speculations.  The  medical  ideas  found  in 
the  Counterblaste  appear  in  Sir  Thomas  Elyot's  Castle  of 
Health,  published  originally  in  1541,  which  attained  a 
wide  popularity  in  the  sixteenth  and  seventeenth  centuries. 
Elyot  was  not  a  professional  doctor,  and  his  book  illustrates 
educated  lay  opinion  of  the  time.  The  body  (cf.  Counter- 
blaste>  p.  39)  was  composed  of  *  the  foure  complexions, 
whose  fathers  are  the  foure  elements,'  Earth,  Air,  Fire,  and 
Water.  Elyot  defines  'Complexion'  as  *a  combination  of 
two  divers  qualities  of  the  foure  elements  in  one  body,  as  hot 
and  dry  of  the  fyre,  hot  and  moiste  of  the  ayre,  cold  and 
drye  of  the  Earth.  But  although  all  these  complexions  be 
assembled  in  every  body  of  a  man  and  woman,  yet  the 
body  taketh  his  denomination  of  those  qualities  which 


NOTES  57 

abounde  in  him,  more  than  in  the  other,  as  hereafter 
insueth : — The  body  where  heate  and  moisture  have  sover- 
aintee  is  called  Sanguine,  wherein  the  ayre  hath  pre- 
heminence.  .  .  .  Where  cold  with  moisture  prevaileth,  that 
body  is  called  fleumatick  [phlegmatick],  wherein  water  hath 
preheminence.  Cholerike  is  hote  and  d  rye,  in  whom  the  fyre 
hath  preheminence.  .  .  .  Melancholike  is  colde  and  drye, 
over  whom  the  earth  hath  Dominion.  .  .  .  Besides  these 
sayde  complexions  of  all  the  hole  body  ther  be  in  the  particu- 
lar membres,  complexion,  wherein  if  there  be  anye  distem- 
perance,  it  bringeth  sicknes  or  griefe  into  the  member.  .  .  . 
Some  distemperatures  be  simple  and  some  be  compound. 
They  which  be  simple  bee  in  simple  qualities  as  heate  and 
moisture,  heate  and  drith,  colde  and  moyst,  colde  and  drye.' 
Cf.  also  Tryon  (Way  to  Health},  who  describes  a  com- 
plexion as  'a  combination  of  two  dyvers  qualities  of  the 
foure  elements  in  one  body,  as  hotte  and  drye  of  the  Fyre, 
hotte  and  moyste  of  the  Ayre.' 

Elyot  also  describes  the  four  humours  (cf.  Counterblaste, 
p.  39) :  *  In  the  bodye  of  man  bee  foure  principall  humours, 
which  continuing  in  the  proportion  that  nature  hath  limitted, 
the  body  is  fre  from  all  sickenes.  Contrary  wyse,  by  the  in- 
crease or  diminution  of  anye  of  them,  in  quantitye  or  qualitye, 
over  or  under  their  natural  assignment,  unequal  tempera- 
ture commeth  into  the  body,  which  sickenes  followeth, 
more  or  lesse  according  to  the  lapse  or  decaye  of  the 
temperatures  of  the  said  humour,  which  are  these  follow- 
ing : — Bloude,  Fleame,  Choler,  Melancholy.'  Elyot  agrees 
with  James  that  *  cures  of  contrary  qualities  may  be  both 
necessarie  and  helpefull'  (p.  40),  and  gives  a  list  of  meats 
suitable  for  this  purpose,  e.g.  ( Colde  meates  asswageth 
burning  of  choler.  .  .  .  Dry  meates  consumeth  superfluous 
moisture.'  The  other  medical  allusions  will  explain  them- 
selves. The  reference  to  counter-poysons  on  p.  38  is  con- 
nected with  the  belief  that  every  poison  may  be  rendered 
harmless  by  the  application  of  some  counter-poison.  The 
influence  of  Alchemy  is  seen  in  the  reference  to  the  planets 


58  NOTES 

and  the  time  of  the  year  as  affecting  medical  treatment 
(p.  47).  Elyot  tells  us  that  from  December  to  March 
'reumes  and  moisture  do  increase  and  then  meates  and 
drinkes  naturally  very  hotte  should  be  moderately  used.' 
These  ideas  do  not  represent  the  more  advanced  medicine 
of  the  day.  They  are  all  mediaeval,  and  are  largely  of 
Greek  origin. 

There  is  a  considerable  amount  of  early  literature  on 
the  subject  of  Tobacco,  and  Ben  Jonson  has  a  well-known 
reference  to  it  in  Every  Man  in  His  Humour  (Act  iii.  Sc.  2). 
King  James  did  not  confine  his  crusade  against  it  to  literary 
methods  of  assault,  but,  in  1604,  issued  a  Proclamation  on 
the  subject  and  taxed  it  heavily : — 

' JAMES,  by  the  Grace  of  God,  etc.,  to  our  right  Trustie 
and  right  Welbeloved  Cousen  and  Counsellor,  Thomas 
Earle  of  Dorset  our  High  Treasourer  of  Englande,  Greet- 
inge. 

'  Whereas  Tabaccoy  being  a  Drugge  of  late  Yeres  found 
out,  and  by  Merchants,  as  well  Denizens  as  Strangers, 
brought  from  forreign  Partes  in  small  quantitie  into  this 
Realm  of  England  and  other  our  Dominions,  was  used  and 
taken  by  the  better  sort  both  then  and  nowe  onelye  as 
Phisicke  to  preserve  Healthe,  and  is  now  at  this  Day, 
through  evell  Custome  and  the  Toleration  thereof,  exces- 
sivelie  taken  by  a  nomber  of  ryotous  and  disordered  Persons 
of  meane  and  base  Condition,  whoe,  contrarie  to  the  use 
which  Persons  of  good  Callinge  and  Qualitye  make  thereof, 
doe  spend  most  of  there  tyme  in  that  idle  Vanitie,  to  the  evill 
example  and  corrupting  of  others,  and  also  do  consume  that 
Wages  whiche  manye  of  them  gett  by  theire  Labour,  and 
wherewith  there  Families  should  be  releived,  not  caring  at 
what  Price  they  buye  that  Drugge,  but  rather  devisinge 
how  to  add  to  it  other  Mixture,  therebye  to  make  it  the 
more  delightfull  to  their  Taste,  though  so  much  the  more 
costly  to  there  Purse  ;  by  which  great  and  imoderate  takinge 
of  Tabacco  the  Health  of  a  great  nomber  of  our  People  is 
impayred,  and  theire  Bodies  weakened  and  made  unfit  for 


NOTES  59 

Labor,  the  Estates  of  many  mean  Persons  soe  decayed  and 
consumed  as  they  are  thereby  dryven  to  unthriftie  Shifts 
onelie  to  maynteyne  their  gluttonous  exercise  thereof, 
besides  that  also  a  great  part  of  the  Treasure  of  our  Lande 
is  spent  and  exhausted  by  this  onely  Drugge  so  licentiously 
abused  by  the  meaner  sorte,  all  which  enormous  Incon- 
veniences ensuinge  thereuppon  We  doe  well  perceave  to 
proceed  principally  from  the  great  quantitie  of  Tabacco 
daily  brought  into  this  our  Realm  of  England  and  Dominions 
of  Wales  from  the  Partes  beyond  the  Seas  by  Merchauntes 
and  others,  which  Excesse  We  conceave  might  in  great 
part  be  restrayned  by  some  good  Imposition  to  be  laid  uppon 
it,  whereby  it  is  likelie  that  a  lesse  Quantitie  of  Tabacco 
will  hereafter  be  broughte  into  this  our  Realm  of  England, 
Dominion  of  Wales  and  Town  of  Barwick  then  in  former 
tymes,  and  yet  sufficient  store  to  serve  for  their  necessarie 
use  who  are  of  the  better  sort,  and  have  and  will  use  the 
same  with  Moderation  to  preserve  their  Healthe  : 

'  We  do  therefore  will  and  command  you  our  Treasurer  of 
Englande,  and  herebye  also  warrant  and  aucthorise  you  to 
geve  order  co  all  Customers  Comptrollers  Searchers  Sur- 
veyors, and  all  other  Officers  of  our  Portes,  that,  from  and 
after  the  sixe  and  twentith  Day  of  October  next  comynge, 
they  shall  demaunde  and  take  to  our  use  of  all  Merchauntes, 
as  well  Englishe  as  Strangers,  and  of  all  others  whoe  shall 
bringe  in  anye  Tabacco  into  this  Realme,  within  any  Porte 
Haven  or  Creek  belonging  to  any  theire  severall  Charges, 
the  Somme  of  Six  Shillings  and  eighte  Pence  uppon  everye 
Pound  Waight  thereof,  over  and  above  the  Custome  of 
Twoo  Pence  uppon  the  Pounde  Waighte  usuallye  paide 
heretofore.  .  .  .' 


THE    ESSAYES    OF 

A  PRENTISE,   IN  THE 
DIVINE  ART  OF 

POESIE 


Imprinted  at  Edinburgh,  by  Thomas 

Vautroullier 

1585 

CVM    PRIVILEGIO 

REGALI 


ANE    QVADRAIN    OF 

ALEXANDRIN    VERSE 

T  MMORTALL  Gods,  sen  I  with  pen  and  Poets 
1      airt 
So  willingly  hes  servde  you,  though  my  skill  be 

small, 

I  pray  then  everie  one  of  you  to  help  his  pairt, 
In  graunting  this  my  sute,  which  after  follow  shall. 

SONNET 

i 

THIRST  Iove>  as  greatest  God  above  the  rest, 
r      Graunt  thou  to  me  a  pairt  of  my  desyre  : 
That  when  in  verse  of  thee  I  write  my  best, 
This  onely  thing  I  earnestly  requyre, 
That  thou  my  veine  Poetique  so  inspyre, 
As  they  may  suirlie  think,  all  that  it  reid, 
When  I  descryve  thy  might  and  thundring  fyre, 
That  they  do  see  thy  self  in  verie  deid 
From  heaven  thy  greatest  Thunders  for  to  leid, 
And  syne  upon  the  Gyants  heads  to  fall : 
Or  cumming  to  thy  Semele  with  speid 
In  Thunders  least,  at  her  request  and  call : 

Or  throwing  Phaethon  downe  from  heaven  to 
card. 

With  threatning  thunders,  making  monstrous 
reard. 


64  SONNETS 


SONNET 


A  POLLO  nixt,  assist  me  in  a  parte, 
*"      Sen  unto  700*  thou  secound  art  in  might, 
That  when  I  do  descryve  thy  shyning  Carte, 
The  Readers  may  esteme  it  in  their  sight. 
And  graunt  me  als,  thou  worlds  6  onely  light, 
That  when  I  lyke  for  subiect  to  devyse 
To  wryte,  how  as  before  thy  countenaunce  bright 
The  yeares  do  stand,  -with  seasons  dowble  twyse. 
That  so  I  may  descryve  the  verie  guyse 
Thus  by  thy  help,  of  yeares  wherein  we  live : 
As  Readers  syne  may  say,  heir  surely  lyes, 
Of  seasons  fowre,  the  glasse  and  picture  vive. 
Grant  als,  that  so  I  may  my  verses  warpe, 
As  thou  may  play  them  syne  upon  thy  Harpe. 


SONNETS  65 


SONNET 


AND  first,  6  Phwbus,  when  I  do  descrive 
The  Springtyme  sproutar  of  the  herbes  and 

flowris, 

Whome  with  in  rank  none  of  the  foure  do  strive, 
But  nearest  thee  do  stande  all  tymes  and  howris : 
Graunt  Readers  may  esteme,  they  sie  thy  showris, 
Whose  balmie  dropps  so  softlie  dois  distell, 
Which  watrie   cloudds   in   mesure  suche  downe 

powris, 

As  makis  the  herbis,  and  verie  earth  to  smell 
With  savours  sweit,  fra  tyme  that  onis  thysell 
The  vapouris  softlie  sowkis  with  smyling  cheare, 
Whilks  syne  in  cloudds  are  keiped  closs  and  well, 
Whill  vehement  Winter  come  in  tyme  of  yeare. 
Graunt,  when  I  lyke  the  Springtyme  to  displaye. 
That  Readers  think  they  sie  the  Spring  alwaye. 


66  SONNETS 


SONNET 


AND  graunt  that  I  may  so  vively  put  in  verse 
The  Sommtr,  when  I  lyke  theirof  to  treat : 
As  when  in  writ  I  do  theirof  reherse, 
Let  Readers  think  they  fele  the  burning  heat, 
And  graithly  see  the  earth,  for  lacke  of  weit, 
With  withering  drouth  and  Sunne  so  gaigged  all, 
As  for  the  grasse  on  feild,  the  dust  in  streit 
Doth  ryse  and  flee  aloft,  long  or  it  fall. 
Yea,  let  them  think,  they  heare  the  song  and  call, 
Which  Floras  wingde  musicians  maks  to  sound. 
And  that  to  taste,  and  smell,  beleve  they  shall 
Delicious  fruictis,  whilks  in  that  tyme  abound. 
And  shortly,  all  their  senses  so  bereaved, 
As  eyes  and  earis,  and  all  may  be  deceaved. 


SONNETS  67 


SONNET 


OR  when  I  lyke  my  pen  for  to  imploy 
Of  fertile  Harvest  in  the  description  trew  : 
Let  Readers  think,  they  instantly  convoy 
The  busie  shearers  for  to  reap  their  dew, 
By  cutting  rypest  comes  with  hookes  anew : 
Which  cornes  their  heavy  heads  did  dounward 

bow, 

Els  seking  earth  againe,  from  whence  they  grew, 
And  unto  Ceres  do  their  service  vow. 
Let  Readers  also  surely  think  and  trow, 
They  see  the  painfull  Vigneron  pull  the  grapes  : 
First  tramping  them,  and  after  pressing  now 
The  grenest  clusters  gathered  into  heapes. 

Let  then  the  Harvest  so  vive  to  them  appeare, 
As  if  they  saw  both  cornes  and  clusters  neare. 


68  SONNETS 


SONNET 
6 

BVT  let  them  think,  in  verie  deid  they  feill, 
When  as  I  do  the  Winters  stormes  unfolde, 
The  bitter  frosts,  which  waters  dois  congeill 
In  Winter  season,  by  a  pearsing  colde. 
And  that  they  heare  the  whiddering  Boreas  bolde, 
With  hiddeous  hurling,  rolling  Rocks  from  hie. 
Or  let  them  think,  they  see  god  Saturne  olde, 
Whose  hoarie  haire  owercovering  earth,  maks  flie 
The  lytle  birds  in  flocks,  fra  tyme  they  see 
The  earth  and  all  with  stormes  of  snow  owercled  : 
Yea  let  them  think,  they  heare  the  birds  that  die, 
Make  piteous  mone,  that  Saturms  hairis  are  spred. 
Apollo^  graunt  thir  foirsaid  suitis  of  myne, 
All  fyve  I  say,  that  thou  may  crowne  me  syne. 


SONNETS  69 


SONNET 

7 

AND  when  I  do  descrive  the  Oceans  force, 
Graunt    syne,    6    Neptune^    god    of    seas 

profound, 

That  readars  think  on  leebord,  and  on  dworce, 
And  how  the  Seas  owerflowed  this  massive  round  : 
Yea,  let  them  think,  they  heare  a  stormy  sound, 
Which    threatnis    wind,    and    darknes    come    at 

hand : 

And  water  in  their  shipps  syne  to  abound, 
By  weltring  waves,  lyke  hyest  towres  on  land. 
Then  let  them  thinke  their  shipp  now  low  on  sand, 
Now  climmes  and  skippes  to  top  of  rageing  seas, 
Now   downe   to  hell,   when   shippmen   may  not 

stand, 

But  lifts  their  hands  to  pray  thee  for  some  eas. 
Syne  let  them  think  thy  Trident  doth  it  calme, 
Which  maks  it  cleare  and  smothe  lyke  glas  or 
alme. 


70  SONNETS 


SONNET 


AND  graunt  the  lyke  when  as  the  swimming 
sort 

Of  all  thy  subiects  skaled  I  list  declare  : 
As  Triton  monster  with  a  manly  port, 
Who  drownd  the  Troy  an  trumpetour  most  raire  : 
As  Mar  maids  wyse,  who  wepis  in  wether  faire  : 
And  marvelous  Monkis,  I  meane  Monkis  of  the  see. 
Bot  what  of  monsters,  when  I  looke  and  staire 
On  wounderous  heapes  of  subjectis  serving  the  ? 
As  whailes  so  huge,  and  Sea  eylis  rare,  that  be 
Myle  longs,  in  crawling  cruikis  of  sixtie  pace  : 
And  Daulphins,  Seahorse,  Selchs  with  oxin  ee, 
And  MerswyniS)  Petrikis  als  of  fishes  race. 
In  short,  no  fowle  doth  flie,  nor  beast  doth  go, 
But  thow  hast  fishes  lyke  to  them  and  mo. 


SONNETS  71 


SONNET 


ODREIDFULL  Pluto,  brother  thrid  to  love, 
With  Proserpin,  thy  wife,  the   quene  of 

hell: 

My  sute  to  you  is,  when  I  like  to  loave 
The  ioyes  that  do  in  Elise  field  excell : 
Or  when  I  like  great  Tragedies  to  tell : 
Or  flyte,  or  murne  my  fate:  or  wryte  with  feare 
The  plagues  ye  do  send  furth  with  Dirce.  fell. 
Let  Readers  think,  that  both  they  see  and  heare 
Alecto,  threatning  Turnus  sister  deare  : 
And  heare  Celanos  wings,  with  Harpyes  all : 
And  see  dog  Cerberus  rage  with  hiddeous  beare, 
And  all  that  did  ALneas  once  befall. 

When  as  he  past  throw  all  those  dungeons  dim, 
The  foresaid  feilds  syne  visited  by  him.  - 


72  SONNETS 


SONNET 
10 

O  FURIOUS  Mars,  thow  warlyke  souldiour 
bold, 

And  hardy  Pallas^  goddess  stout  and  grave : 
Let  Reidars  think,  when  combats  manyfold 
I  do  descrive,  they  see  two  champions  brave, 
With  armies  huge  approching  to  resave 
Thy  will,  with  cloudds  of  dust  into  the  air. 
Syne  Phifers,  Drummes,  and  Trumpets  cleir  do 

crave 

The  pelmell  chok  with  larum  loude  alwhair, 
Then  nothing  hard  but  gunnis,  and  ratling  sair 
Of  speares,  and  clincking  swords  with  glaunce  so 

cleir, 

As  if  they  foght  in  skyes,  then  wrangles  thair 
Men  killd,  unkilld,  whill  Parcas  breath  reteir. 
There    lyes    the    venquisht    wailing    sore    his 

chaunce : 
There  lyes  the  victor,  rewing  els  the  daunce. 


SONNETS  73 


SONNET 
ii 

AND  at  your  handis  I  earnestly  do  crave, 
O  facound  Mercure^  with  the  Muses  nyne, 
That  for  conducting  guyde  I  may  you  have, 
Aswell  unto  my  pen,  as  my  Ingyne. 
Let  Readers  think,  thy  eloquence  devyne 
O  Mercure,  in  my  Poems  doth  appeare : 
And  that  Parnassis  flowing  fountaine  fyne 
Into  my  works  doth  shyne  lyke  cristall  cleare. 
O  Muses,  let  them  think  that  they  do  heare 
Your  voyces  all  into  my  verse  resound. 
And  that  your  vertewis  singuler  and  seir 
May  wholly  all  in  them  be  also  found. 
Of  all  that  may  the  perfyte  Poems  make, 
I  pray  you  let  my  verses  have  no  lake. 


74  SONNETS 


SONNET 

12 

IN  short,  you  all  forenamed  gods  I  pray 
For  to  concur  with  one  accord  and  will, 
That  all  my  works  may  perfyte  be  alway : 
Which  if  ye  doe,  then  sweare  I  for  to  fill 
My  works  immortall  with  your  praises  still : 
I  shall  your  names  eternall  ever  sing, 
I  shall  tread  downe  the  grasse  on  Parnass  hill 
By  making  with  your  names  the  world  to  ring : 
I  shall  your  names  from  all  oblivion  bring. 
I  lofty  Virgill  shall  to  life  restoir, 
My  subiects  all  shalbe  of  heavenly  thing, 
How  to  delate  the  gods  immortals  gloir. 
Essay  me  once,  and  if  ye  find  me  swerve, 
Then  thinke,  I  do  not  graces  such  deserve. 

FINIS. 


ANE  SCHORT  POEME  OF  TYME 

AS  I  was  pansing l  in  a  morning  aire, 
And  could  not  sleip,  nor  nawayis  take  me 

rest, 

Furth  for  to  walk,  the  morning  was  sa  faire, 
Athort  the  feilds,  it  semed  to  me  the  best. 
The  East  was  cleare,  whereby  belyve  I  gest 
That  fyrie  Titan  dimming  was  in  sight, 
Obscuring  chast  Diana  by  his  light. 

Who  by  his  rysing  in  the  Azure  skyes, 
Did  dewlie  helse  all  thame  on  earth  do  dwell. 
The  balmie  dew  through  birning  drouth  he  dryis, 
Which  made  the  soile  to  savour  sweit  and  smell, 
By  dewe  that  on  the  night  before  downe  fell, 
Which  then  was  soukit  by  the  Delphienns  heit 
Up  in  the  aire :  it  was  so  light  and  weit. 

Whose  hie  ascending  in  his  purpour  Sphere 

Provoked  all  from  Morpheus  to  flee : 

As  beasts  to  feid,  and  birds  to  sing  with  beir, 

Men  to  their  labour,  bissie  as  the  Bee  : 

Yet  idle  men  devysing  did  I  see. 

How  for  to  dryve  the  tyme  that  did  them  irk, 

By  sindrie  pastymes,  whill  that  it  grew  mirk. 

1  meditating. 


76     ANE   SCHORT   POEME   OF  TYME 

Then  woundred  I  to  see  them  seik  a  wyle, 
So  willinglie  the  precious  tyme  to  tyne : 
And  how  they  did  them  selfis  so  farr  begyle, 
To  fashe  of  tyme,  which  of  it  selfe  is  fyne. 
Fra  tyme  be  past,  to  call  it  bakwart  syne 
Is  bot  in  vaine :  therefore  men  sould  be  warr, 
To  sleuth  the  tyme  that  flees  fra  them  so  farr. 

For  what  hath  man  bot  tyme  into  this  lyfe, 
Which  gives  him  dayis  his  God  aright  to  knaw : 
Wherefore  then  sould  we  be  at  sic  a  stryfe, 
So  spedelie  our  selfis  for  to  withdraw 
Evin  from  the  tyme,  which  is  on  nowayes  slaw 
To  flie  from  us,  suppose  we  fled  it  noght  ? 
More  wyse  we  were,  if  we  the  tyme  had  soght. 

Bot  sen  that  tyme  is  sic  a  precious  thing, 

I  wald  we  sould  bestow  it  into  that 

Which  were  most  pleasour  to  our  heavenly  King. 

Flee  idilteth,  which  is  the  greatest  lat. 

Bot  sen  that  death  to  all  is  destinat, 

Let  us  imploy  that  time  that  God  hath  send  us, 

In  doing  weill,  that  good  men  may  commend  us. 

Hczc  quoque  perfidat,  quod  perfidt  omnia^  Tempus. 
FINIS. 


HIS  MAJESTIES  OWNE  SONNET1 

GOD  gives  not  kings  the  stile  of  Gods  in  vaine, 
For  on  his  throne  his  scepter  doe  they  swey : 
And  as  their  subjects  ought  them  to  obey, 
So  kings  should  feare  and  serve  their  God  againe  : 
If  then  ye  would  enjoy  a  happie  raigne, 
Observe  the  statutes  of  your  heavenly  king, 
And  from  his  Law,  make  all  your  Lawes  to  spring : 
Since  his  Lieutenant  here  ye  should  remaine, 
Reward  the  just,  be  stedfast,  true,  and  plaine, 
Represse  the  proud,  maintayning  aye  the  right, 
Walke  alwayes  so,  as  ever  in  his  sight, 
Who  guardes  the  godly,  plaguing  the  prophane  : 
And  so  ye  shall  in  Princely  vertues  shine, 
Resembling  right  your  mightie  King  Divine. 


1  Addressed  to  Prince  Henry,  and  prefixed  to  the  Basilicon 
Doron. 


THE   PSALMS   OF   KING   DAVID 
TRANSLATED  BY  KING  JAMES 

These  Psalms  were  first  printed  by  Charles  i.  after 
his  father's  death.  They  contain  numerous  traces 
of  the  work  of  earlier  versifiers. 

PSALM    XXIV 

THE  Earth  belongs  unto  the  Lord,  and  all  that 
it  contains  : 

the  World  that  is  inhabited,  and  all  that  there 
remains. 

2  For  the  Foundation  of  the  same,  He  on  the 

Seas  did  lay, 

and  also  hath  established  it,  upon  the  Floods 
to  stay. 

3  Who  to  the  Hill  that  is  the  Lord's,  with  Glory 

shall  ascend  ? 

and  who  within  His  holy  Place,  shall  stand- 
ing Him  attend  ? 

4  Even  he  whose  Hands  are  clean,  whose  Heart 

is  pure,  who  hath  forborn 
to  lift  his   Soul  to   Vanity,    and   hath  not 
falsely  sworn : 


8o  PSALM    XXIV 

5  That  Man  for  certain  from  the  Lord,  the  Bless- 

ing shall  obtain, 

and  from  the  God  that  saves  his  Soul,  shall 
Righteousness  attain. 

6  This  is  of  them  that  seek  to  Him,  the  Genera- 

tion right; 

ev'n  of  all  them  that  truly  seek,  (O  Jacob's 
God)  Thy  Sight. 

7  Lift  up  your  Heads,  O  ye  strong  Gates,  be  ye 

uplifted  all, 

Doors  everlasting,  and  come  in  the  King  of 
Glory  shall. 

8  Who  is  the  King  of  Glory  now?    The  Lord 

who  strong  is  found, 

and  mighty,  ev'n  the  Lord,  whose  Might  in 
battel  is  renown'd. 

9  Lift  up  your  Heads,  O  ye  strong  Gates,  ev'n 

lift  ye  them  up  all, 

Doors  everlasting,  and  come  in  the  King  of 
Glory  shall. 

10  Who  is  this  King  of  Glory  now?      He  that 

commands  as  His 

the  Hosts  of  Heav'n  and  Earth,  their  Lord, 
the  King  of  Glory  is. 


PSALM    C 

MAKE  all  ye  Lands  a  joyful  Noise,  to  Him 
that  is  the  Lord  of  Might, 

2  With   Gladness   ever    serve  the   Lord,   and 

come  with  Singing  in  His  Sight. 

3  Know  that  the  Lord  is  our  great  God,  He  us, 

not  we,  our  selves  did  make, 
we  are  His  People,  and  the  Sheep  that  He 
as  His  own  Flock  did  take. 

4  With  Thanksgiving  come  in  His  Gates,  and  in 

His  Courts  His  Praise  proclaim, 
be  always  thankful  unto  Him,  and  ever  bless 
His  holy  Name. 

5  For  lo,  the  Lord  is  wholly  good,  His  tender 

Mercy  lasts  for  ever, 

and  unto  Generations  all,  His  Truth  doth 
constantly  persevere. 


PSALM    CXLVIII 

PRAISE  ye  the  Lord,  praise  ye, 
Ev'n  from  the  Heav'ns  the  Lord ; 
In  Parts  that  highest  be, 
To  Him  due  Praise  afford. 
i  And  praise  Him  most, 

You  Angels  pure, 
His  Praise  procure, 
All  you  His  Host. 

;     His  Praise  at  length  dilate, 
Thou  Sun  that  shin'st  so  bright, 
Praise  Him  with  Stars  in  State, 
Thou  Moon  that  clear'st  the  Night. 

Heav'ns,  Heav'ns  Him  praise ; 

Ye  Floods  that  move, 

The  Heav'ns  above, 

His  Glory  raise. 

;    To  magnify  His  Name, 
Let  this  them  freely  lead, 
Which  doth  Obedience  claim, 
They  by  His  word  were  made. 
>  He  fix'd  them  fast, 

So  still  to  be, 
And  His  Decree 
Shall  ever  last. 


PSALM   CXLVIII  83 

7  From  Earth  to  Heav'n's  high  Spheres 
Of  God  the  Praises  sound, 

You  Dragons  forcing  Fears, 
And  Deeps  of  all  this  Round. 

8  You  Vapours  still, 
Fire,  Hail,  and  Snow, 
And  Storms  that  blow 
To  work  God's  Will. 

9  You  Mountains  high  and  large, 
And  Hills  more  low  that  ly, 

You  Trees  which  Fruits  do  charge, 
And  Cedars  mounting  high. 

10  You  Troops  of  Store, 
You  creeping  Things, 
And  you  with  Wings 
Aloft  that  soar. 

1 1  You  Kings  that  do  command, 
And  People  great  and  small, 
You  Princes  of  the  Land, 
And  you  World's  Judges  all. 

12  You  Gallants  strong, 
And  Virgins  fair, 
You  Ag'd  that  are, 
And  Infants  young. 

13  Let  them,  all  join'd  in  one, 
The  Lord's  Name  praise  aright, 
For  His  great  Name  alone 

Is  excellent  at  height. 


84  PSALM   CXLVIII 

14  His  Glory  love, 
Which  none  can  even : 
It  earth  and  Heaven 
Is  far  above. 

15  And  He  doth  strongly  raise 
His  People's  Horn  by  Grace ; 
Of  all  His  Saints  the  Praise ; 
Yea,  ev'n  of  Israel's  Race. 

With  Children  stor'd 
A  People  near, 
And  to  Him  dear, 
Praise  ye  the  Lord. 


LIST  OF  KING  JAMES'S  CHIEF  WRITINGS 

Essayes  of  a  Prentise  in  the  Divine  Art  of  Poesie, 

1584. 

Paraphrase  upon  the  Revelation  of  St.  John,  1588. 
Meditation  upon  i  Chronicles  xv.  25-29,  1589. 
Poetical  Exercises  at  Vacant  Houres,  1591. 
Daemonologie,  in  the  Form  of  a  Dialogue,  1597. 
Basilikon  Doron,  1599. 
The  Trew  Law  of  Free  Monarchies,  1603. 
A  Counterblaste  to  Tobacco,  1604. 
Oratio  Regis  in  Comitiis  Oxoniensibus,  1605. 
Apology  for  the  Oath  of  Allegiance,  1607. 
Declaration  against  Cardinal  Perron,  1615. 
Collected  Works,  edited  by  Bishop  Montague,  1616. 
His  Majesty's  Reasons  for  his  Proceedings  against 

Sir  Walter  Raleigh,  1618. 
The   Peace-Maker,  or   Great   Brittaine's   Blessing, 

1618. 

A  Meditation  on  the  Lord's  Prayer,  1619. 
A  Meditation  upon  St.  Matthew  xxvii.  27-29. 
The   Psalms  of   King    David    translated  by  King 

James,  1630. 


Printed  by  T.  and  A.  CONSTABLE,  Printers  to  Her  Majesty 
at  the  Edinburgh  University  Press 


ENGLISH    REPRINTS 

Edited  by  Prof.  EDWARD  ARBER,  F.S.A. 

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